


Hum of the Shells

by krinclem



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: Angst and Drama, Awkward Sexual Situations, Badass Charlie, Cannibalism, Charlastor- Body Guard AU, Comedy, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Heavy Angst, I will go down with these ships, Mentions of Helluva Boss characters, Modern Era, NOT A ROMANCE BUT A TRAGEDY, One-Sided Attraction, Slow Burn, Spidermoth-Arranged MarriageAU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:28:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 29,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24701575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/krinclem/pseuds/krinclem
Summary: This is a story of the strays within a world of normalcy. One being a pure bred assassin. One an heir of a gangster fortune. One casting unbridled desire for the soul and the taste of the flesh. And of a blonde girl that can hear the humming of the shells up her head.A tale of a tragedy.DISCLAIMER:All names and characters in this work are mainly from the web series Hazbin Hotel and some are from Helluva boss. The story and the incidents portrayed are fictitious. There are no real deers harmed too.
Relationships: Alastor & Charlie Magne, Alastor/Charlie Magne, Angel Dust & Vaggie (Hazbin Hotel), Charlie Magne/Vaggie
Comments: 18
Kudos: 40





	1. Prologue

  
**CLAMMY FINGERS ROLLED UP AND ABSENTLY** closed to a fist, wrapping the small red box within her palms tightly in the process. She had been holding on to it for several weeks now, just waiting to be opened at least right after she finally pop the question to the special woman who would mostly likely be already inside the restaurant she had been standing in front of for what felt like eternity

Vaggie bit her lower lip and felt cold sweat roll down her forehead. She's had enough pacing in her apartment to mellow down all the nervous tick so she's settled for staying frozen like a statue before the fine establishment she had agreed upon to meet with Charlie.

Never in her life did she feel this much insecurity. Certainly even her days as a Law student couldn't compare to the mind-blowing, heart racing, anxiety that was crippling her from inside out.

She's just about the type who knows exactly what to say and what to do--her impeccable and ruthless judgement is almost always spot on whether in or out of the court house. But today's a first. Attorney Vagatha was actually uncertain and sweating bullets like a small bashful school kid reluctant to utter a single word let alone a sentence or two in front of her peers.

She's been with Charlie for almost 7 years to this day. Through thick and thin she had been there. In pain and in pleasure, Vagatha already saw it in Charlie's eyes. It may sound cheesy but she found the unconditional love she craved most in life. It was a blessing that never failed to make her smile even at the toughest of times. It never faltered in giving her strength.

Charlie's her everything.

Charlie's the divine being that made the world a less wretched place to live in. And she knew Charlie felt as strongly as she does, back-tracking to all the kisses, hugs, tears and sweet nothings of the yesteryears that they shared--electrifying with bliss.

But she can't help sensing this foreboding feeling that something will go wrong once she get on her knees. That by a stroke of fate a little mischievous ploy would smack her on the face when she least expect and whatever it is, is holding her back from gripping the door handle of the restaurant to let herself in.

That and another thing.

" Moxxie...a little to the right..."

Said a man's voice in a demanding tone not far from her left.

" We've been doing this for 15 minutes now, Sir! Can't you make up your mind?! We're taking too much of the client's time! "

Another man which Vaggie knew as Moxxie just a few days ago, exclaimed in unbridled irritation at the man stroking his chin in deep thought whom she could recall being Blitzo.

" We have to capture the wilting autumn trees on camera, Moxxie! Else this engagement film would look bland at the wedding reception! Now two more steps backwards we have to catch her whole body as she enters the premises"

Blitzo commanded with a dramatic wave of a hand in dismissal aimed at Moxxie who was filming Vaggie for her engagement photoshoot that night. The camera man began to grumble in protest but did what was ordered, moving the entire tripod to Blitzo's intended direction. His boss took a look at the Nikon for the umpteenth time of the evening but shook his head in disapproval

" NO! NO! NO! There's just something missing!!!"

Vaggie's initial anxiety morphed to a semblance of irritation little by little. This is testing her patience. How fortunate that the windows of the business establishment were stained glass of various colors and completely sound proof inside out else Charlie would caught on with what's going on and ruin the surprise. So much for subtleties she requested from the crew. Why she hired the **Immediate Marriage Professionals** (I.M.P) for the job would have been because of one of her primas' high recommendation.

It began to irk her. This is not the quality she expected at all.

In a bit, her phone signalled a message in the side pocket of her purple dress coat, she hastily secured the ring box within one of her fore front pockets and fished her phone out. At the sight of Charlie's message log, she wore an unmistakable frown .

**『CHARLIE:** _Vaggie? Are you still coming? Is everything alright? I really want to stay longer in here but I still got paper work to do at 9:00 and a flight to catch bound for Louisiana at 3:00 am. Oh, and dinner was just served. It's gonna get cold though, hurry!_ 』

It was already 7:30. Vaggie huffed in irritation and massaged her temples. She didn't want to rush the evening at all. Supposedly, they'd get a nice dinner first and talk like the usual, which usually takes about 2 hours minimum.

They're smitten with each other that much.

After a long winded conversation, Vaggie would smoothly tell Charlie the sappiest speech of the millennia and get down on knees like it's the most natural thing in the world. But with the time being hectic, she can see the perfect picture burn to ashes. That's it, she was going to fire the idiots on the spot but before she could open her mouth, a towering girl with dyed white hair flared up and pushed Moxxie to the side.

" Stop screwing around already! Let's just get this over with so we can leave! I need to see the concert for fuck's sake"

The moody girl, Loona, adjusted the camera tripod again a few paces towards Vaggie

"Hey! Dont you push my husband around!"

Millie, who was a marriage counselor by profession lashed at Loona as she rushed to Moxxie's side. 

" Now, now settle down all of you! We still have a shoot in progress!"

Blitzo broke the tension off and beamed with delight at Loona's work

" Ah! Yes! Yes! Perfect angle!!! That's my sweet Loona for you! Some people just couldn't get it right!"

Moxxie smacked a palm on his face and shouted

" That was the exact same position as before!"

"Hush Moxxie!" Blitzo pressed his index finger upon the camera man's lips before giving an all too friendly instruction aimed at Vaggie

"Now Miss Vagatha, take a deep breath, relax and step in the building. The love of your life awaits"

Vaggie felt relieved that they've settled their issues. She really needed to get this over with and fast or she'll go borderline insane from the hammering of her own heart.

She did what was instructed, walked towards the door and turned the knob. At one push, chimes rang and she entered. It was silly really. An engagement film? It was a tooth decaying kind of gesture that cost her a lot of money still the perfectionist in Vagatha demanded every milestone be recorded which Charlie no doubt would absolutely adore.

  
  
Inside the walls of the spacious area, she noted the absence of patrons and the gentle melody of a violin. The background music muffled the pitter patter of her boot heels against the pristine tiled floor of the victorian themed establishment. She strode towards the table closest to a grand piano where she found Charlie seated, eyes on her phone. Their meal for the night was indeed laid out and waiting.

There was no sign of the IMP anywhere but Vaggie figured hidden cameras were in place to film everything that will transpire.

She dragged out the wooden chair across her girlfriend as naturally as she could to not give away her inner turmoil, effectively startling Charlie when the chair made a small squeaky noise and the woman took a seat. A gentle smile tugged on Vaggie's lips albeit her heart somersaulting in her rib cage. This is it, she's seated and close to asking a lifetime proposition.

" Vaggie! I'm so glad you're finally here! I thought I'd get grey hair before I could see you! Hi! "

Charlie did not make a move to get up or to try and topple her in for a pulverising hug but the eagerness and that oh so gorgeous smile could easily tell Vaggie just how much the blonde had missed her.

Charlie's smile was the same sight for sore eyes as she had last seen it 2 months ago. Right, before it could slip from her mind, it had been 8 weeks since they last saw each other. Susprisingly, the lawyer did not even keep tabs of the time as she was busy with her career. 

Her younger self --the one belonging to the first trimester of their relationship--would have freaked out not being able to see Charlie for no longer than a day and her smile would be dearly missed. That same charm that can get her insides all mushy without fail. 

But something came out odd in that few seconds. Vaggie remained silent as a grave whence Charlie voiced out her jovial greetings. 

She was directly gazing at her lover but it was perplexing how the butterflies floating round her belly had shied away leaving her insides void of pestering sensations she's ought to feel in the blonde's presence. 

That typical angelic curve on Charlie's red stained lips didn't seem to blast it's magic straight through Vaggie's being like it should. 

That took the lawyer aback abruptly. 

She did not know if she imagined it or she's not responding as strongly as she normally would inwardly, right at that instant. Perhaps it's just the anxiety attack cruising through her mind that's causing a jam, giving her less time to concentrate on anything but the ring and the engagement that hopefully will soon follow. 

" Sorry, I had a few case files to review, Hun. But I'm all yours for the entire evening since the court was done with the session" 

She forced herself out of her thoughts and stretched a small grin on her face as she replied. 

" Is this about the rapist's trial?" 

Charlie's intial hype lowered, her eyebrows furrowing. A hint of fury in her eyes that's evidently directed to the criminal. Who wouldn't set a form of wrath to an outlaw that did not just commit sexual assault but inflicted such an unforgivable crime to an innocent child? 

" Yes and I'm glad the _hijo de puta_ have been proven guilty as charged"

Vaggie took a sip of the fine wine sitting before her, grateful that at least the short topic relieved a part of the tension and confusion she's experiencing. 

" I expected nothing less from my Attorney." 

Charlie reached out for her hand and intertwined their fingers together atop the table. Vaggie began to tense up in fear, struggling to keep her body language steady. The blonde had touched her ice cold fingers and in any second, she would sense the anxious energy that never ceased to bubble in the salvadorian's system. What Vaggie did not expect was Charlie's equally frigid touch.

There was no loving warmth, nothing. 

She did not know if Charlie sensed it but there was the absence of a spark that would usually frequent even in their briefest of physical exchanges. It began to terrify Vaggie but again pushed it at the back of her mind.

" I really missed you Hun. It felt like eternity with you gone for 2 months." 

She held Charlie's hand gently but her sweet words turn half-hearted. Funny, she poured all her heart in practicing for tonight's speech many days prior yet she can't seem to genuinely respond to Charlie anymore--like a connection was severed and out of place. Did something changed? Did mere distance shifted what they had? 

" I missed you too Vaggie. It was not the same without you around. I wished you were there for vacation purposes and such but then your schedule was packed." 

Multiple cases of homicide was laid out the table for Vaggie at that time and had driven her up the wall with the swarm of clients that she couldn't afford going on vacation with the State on a wreck. She wished she could have come, maybe then the emptiness gripping her would be non- existant. 

" I've been sloppy and sleep in too much in France. I even wake up mid afternoon often missing both breakfast and lunch" 

The blonde continued to blabber about her eating habits and sheepishly giggled. Out of instinct, Vaggie flashed her a nagging stare similar to an uptight mom. 

" What? You knew that was going to get you sick right? Do I need to remind you to eat at least three times a day? _Dios mio,_ you're no longer a child Charlie" 

" I-I know and I'm really sorry!" 

The blonde wasn't all that apologetic and had withdrawn her hand from Vaggie to fix her attention on the main course, a nice juicy steak. The brightness on her eyes was matched that of a child as she licked her lips in anticipation. 

" God, I think I'm famished. Let's eat yeah? " 

She comically gripped the knife and dinner fork mimicking the hungry puss from one of those cartoons she loves to watch. The lingering warmth of her fingers wasn't missed by Vaggie's hands at all. 

It matched a stranger's touch.

But this is Charlie. 

This is the love of her life. 

Charlotte Magne is more than just a stranger. 

Surely, 2 months wont mean a thing for people who are stricken by Ero's notorious arrow and it started to gnaw at Vaggie's insides. 

Was her love superficial to begin with? Whatever it is, Vaggie violently refused to acknowledge and swatted it to the far recesses of her thoughts. Her fiery embers of passion will never be extinguished. 

In her hours of solitude, she only thought of Charlie. She worked with what's left of her spare time to go out of her way and contact wedding planners. All those days, she hard wired her mind to go down on her knees tonight. And tonight it will be. Time is of the essence. 7 years is enough to be sure. She's never one to back down once a verdict is in place. 

"Hello? Hello to earth Vaggie? Hey, why aren't you touching your food? Oh dear, you dont like the steak? We could order--" 

The silence that stretched between them did not go unnoticed by Charlie, snapping Vaggie back. 

" I-I'm fine, Hun" 

Vaggie did not mean to heighten in pitch and blamed it on the banging of her heart as the muscle drummed in fervor.

She's going to pledge her throth minutes from now.

It gave her respite knowing it's still leaving her on the edge of her seat once more. It is still a fact that whatever Charlie's answer, will be of utmost importance. 

" So how's it going with your relatives in France?"

She was antsy despite her efforts to remain calm, gripping the silverware far too hard it caused her knuckles to visibly go pallid as she asked. Her squared shoulders, quivering smile and sweating forehead struck Charlie as curious. The blonde raised a questioning brow. Vaggie caught on and slowly exhaled, setting down the knife and fanned her face with her hand. 

" It's getting quite hot in here don't you think?" 

Wrong, it was freezing inside the restaurant but Vaggie couldn't think of a valid excuse for the dribbling, diabolic, cold sweat on her face. 

" We could ask the staff to adjust the room temperature here if you like" 

" Oh that wont be necessary, Hun, I'll just..."

Vaggie removed her dress coat leaving her in only a white v-neck sleeveless dress that made her olive skin pop. She took her time to fold her coat and secured the ring box secretly on her lap. Charlie decided to respond to her question about the Magne family back in France as the salvadorian fumbled with the purple fabric. 

" my relatives behave and appear like the usual. Gorgeous, workaholic and uptight. It's like they never aged! I don't know how they even keep it up. Whenever they walk in the room, their presence just scream: perfection!"

Vaggie eased herself and let a fond smile seeing the constant glint of wonder on those dark eyes everytime the conversation steer to her family. Vagatha found it extremely cute. Scratch that, everything about Charlie is simply adorable.

" And let's not forget, very single, Charlie" 

She decided to add something to complete the whole picture. 

" Yeah! I just don't get it. My uncles and even my aunt don't seem to consider settling down." 

Charlie sounded exasperated. 

" Well, with a baby worth a dozen such as yourself it's no wonder" 

Vaggie gave a friendly jab as she took a bite of her steak even chuckling a bit albeit strained. 

" Hey! I'm not that bad!" 

" Says the one who watches nothing but cartoons" 

The two snorted and Vaggie began to visibly relax. The talk went down to Charlie's whole vacation trip in France before long. 

" I attended Seviathan's engagement party by they way" 

" The Seviathan von Eldritch? Your high-school sweetheart ?" 

Vaggie meant that as a tease

" Re-gret-ful-ly " 

Every syllable uttered was taken out on the poor piece of meat on the blonde's plate until it was minced. Charlie's still embittered to be reminded of that mistake. 

"How did it go?" 

The blonde rolled her eyes and sighed. 

" like he never changed. With the trademark lime green, and that dull and arrogant attitude. He's still full of himself, Vaggie. He managed to snag Octavia by the way." 

" Wait, wasn't she your wing woman of sorts before?" 

"yeah and so was Helsa. With some crazy turn of events they both actually turned their backs on me. I presumed it was only Helsa. She wasn't so subtle on Senior year but Octavia was one good actor. I didn't know they actually conspired to bring down my dignity on Prom night until Aunt Gabe revealed everything to me after the party. "

It was smart move coming from Gabriella, thought Vaggie. Charlie might have engaged in a brawl in the middle of the merry making if she found out she had not one but two backstabbing best friends that ruined her reputation in France.

Vaggie searched for signs of aggression in Charlie as she continued to talk about the people that betrayed her. The blonde was nothing but uncannily amused at the revelation though and was brushing it off as a memory of the past she had long moved on from. 

" They'd get deceiving retards for children, I tell you " 

Charlie snickered, laced with sarcasm and a humorless laugh. 

" But over-all, I enjoyed my stay. I had ample time in my hands to waste on horse back riding with Uncle Mike, Rafa and Aunt Gabe. Thank you Vaggie for dragging me to that plane. But next time not with me in pj's please?! I stuck like a sore thumb in there! " 

The couple began to uncontrollably chortle at the shared memory. Their hands upon their mouths barely filtered their mirth. 

Charlie fell ill weeks ago.

She was doing great on a certain monday morning, nothing was amiss. Well, she at least acted upbeat and healthy until her sudden tumble upon the pedestrian lane she always crossed to work. 

Since then, the doctor insisted full rest and relaxation. It was stress that shut her down apparently and was more than enough reason for Vaggie to push her to the next flight to France in order to keep her hands off of work completely. Charlie was adamant in her protests to the point that she clawed on one of her couches to prevent Vaggie from bringing her to the airport. 

It was worth all the yelling and physical strain from Vaggie's part. 

Now, the ugly bags on Charlie's eyes had vanished and her glow seem to resonate from the tips of her braided golden hair to the pinkish tinge of her usually pallid complexion that complemented well to her cream colored dress.

It equalled to the sacrifice Vaggie had to go through. 

Charlie was as gorgeous as the day of their fateful encounter in the very restaurant they chose to dine in for the evening. These thoughts gave Vaggie a sweet bliss of bubbling sensations meant for Charlie and only Charlie. 

Turns out she had fret for nothing. She readily held both of Charlie's hands, this time the fire had slowly reignited in her core. 

" You're always welcome, honey" 

Charlie smiled, adjusted her hands to support both of Vagatha's palms and leaned down to kiss her knuckles. The lawyer was flustered at the gesture as Charlie stayed like that for a good few seconds and only gazed at the back of her hands. The silence began to perturb Vaggie.

" Listen Vaggie, I have something to tell you..." 

Charlie pulled away and looked straight to her brown eyes. The gaze was so intense, Vaggie had shied and glanced at the blonde's empty plate. It seemed so important. 

" Charlie I have something to tell you too. But please go on ahead and spill I'm all ears "

Vaggie stole short glances at her date every now and then as she took more bites of dinner.

" Is that the reason why you arranged this date out of the blue?" 

Charlie tilted her head to the side 

" Well, yes, Hun" 

" I think you should go first then babe!" 

" No, I think I'd like for you to go first" 

They were just about to debate over something so silly 

"Okay, how about we settle for rock, paper and scissors!" 

Chalie took the initiative to have the childish game over a long winding debate about who goes first. They were gonna go around in circles. It was a short game in which Vaggie had won.

Charlie stared at her expectantly. 

It was now or never. Vaggie adjusted herself in her seat, held the ring box underneath the table cloth and cleared her throat. 

" Charlie?" 

She tried to articulate her name with as much love as she could muster 

" Yes? "

Charlie quirked an eyebrow and smiled to encourage her to go on. 

" There's this story that happened 8 years ago but I still can't forget it. Out of all the diners I have ever met, I must say in my history of waiting tables in this restaurant so long ago, I never ever encountered a girl who could not only spill wine by accident but also flip 30 tables in a single second, literally!" 

Charlie laughed out loud and shook her head 

" Oh god, why are you reminding me this Vaggie? "

" Honey, the clean up was hard."

" Hey, I already apologised for that"

"But it was rewarding when you left your phone that afternoon and the rest was history. And that lead us to what we are and where we are today. And today is my everything. You'll always be my everything "

And Vagatha, with all her heart and strength to muster, stood, her legs threatening to wobble but carried on. This time holding her eyes firm on the blonde and went down on her knees before Charlie and asked 

" I love you with all my heart and you know that. Charlotte Magne? Will you please do the honor of becoming my wife?" 

Charlie's mouth hung open, tears immediately sprinkled down her rosy cheeks and sobbed out loud. 

✺✥◦☬◦✥✺

_I **, He**_ _**nroin Ragno-Rocci, of Italian descent, legal in age, a widower of Margaret Ragno Rocci, born on July 1st 1950, a resident of Napoli, Italy, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, and not acting under undue influence or intimidation from anyone, do hereby declare and proclaim this instrument to be my Last Will and Testament, in English, the language which I am well conversant. And I hereby declare that**:_

**_I. I desire that should I die, it is my wish to be creminated and my ashes be buried next to my deceased wife._ **

**_II. To my children, I_ _give the following properties to wit: My assets in equal shares_ ;**

_**III. To my son, Arackniss Waldo Ragno-Rocci, I give the following properties to wit: The family estate in Italy and the companies in Asia** _

**_IV. To my daughter, Mollivia Isla Ragno-Rocci, I give the following properties to wit: The resorts and the companies in Europe and America _ **

_V **.Should any happenstance that my son and daughter would pass away, my bastard of a son who fled to America to become a dick-sucking jackass, Martinito Antonio Ragno-Rocci, will be the sole owner of all the assets aforementioned... **_

Angel was surprised to hear that the old geezer still had the heart to call him his son let alone allow him to even have a single buck. It was so unlike the man that gave him a beating for wearing his late mother's underwear on spring break back his grade school days. The same man that left him whimpering in the cold recesses of their ancestral house's basement to 'cleanse' him with rough callous hands. Heck, he even tried drowning him. The same man that drove him out of Italy and what had caused Angel to sell himself to the devil in the first place. 

What's the catch? Giving him his riches had gotten far too suspicious for Angel's tastes. It always takes an asshole to know an asshole. He knows his deceased father is plotting something but what? He continued to listen to the lawyer reading the contents of the legal document for signs of traps like having to run the entire underground dealings, change himself and man up for the better or something alike to that kind of shit.

" **_If and only if, he marries the third daughter of the Quintovilla family of El Salvador-- Vagatha Mercedes Quintovilla--his betrothed." _**

Angel sputtered out his drink. The soda formed rain showers and flooded the smooth surface of the table. Luckily, the lawyer was quick to hold the will to the side just in time. One maid stationed by the door came rushing to clean up the mess and dashed out the sooner she deemed it proper. 

Angel did see that coming at some point. His family marries off at least one member to another household to create ties. But the fact that he had to marry some broad still smashed him hard on the gut almost knocking him over his seat. He slammed the tin can on the table and screamed

"Hold that thought, I have to marry a bitch?!"

" yes" 

The lawyer cringed at his word of choice but continued on. 

" **VI. And should Anthony refuse, all of my assets shall be donated to the government effective immediately 3 months after the bastard have come to read this document**

**VII. If a divorce is filed, all the said assets will be bequeathed to Vagatha..."**

The lawyer left Angel to his devices afterwards. The effeminate fellow stared daggers at the document carefully laid out on the table. He thought of his choices on how to proceed and groaned profanities. From then on, the answer was clear and shit is about to go down for sure. He sighed and walked out the mansion, getting himself a smoke of cigar to calm his raging nerves. A young woman, one of the tenants in the mansion perhaps, handed him two bouquets of red roses he oh so graciously asked the gardeners to pluck when he cat walked in his former home after nearly 20 years . 

He traipsed to the grave yard with the flowers in hand, navigating his way to a stone grave and carefully laid one of the bundles

" Well Molly, I'm about to screw some broad's life, wish me luck! " 

He saw his mother's grave not far from Mollivia's and dropped off the other set of red roses. Beside it, was his father's grave and the next was Arackniss'. 

Angel laid two boxes of cigar and lighters for the two of them and whispered 

" You sons of bitches "

✺✥◦☬◦✥✺

Charlotte Magne stayed seated and sobbing as she cried tears that Vaggie assumed were of joy. When the blonde finally said something, the salvadorian nearly had a heart attack 

" That's such a beautiful ring...I don't even know if it will fit on my finger or would suit me... " 

Charlie addressed it fondly. It was a silver ring with an intricate figure of a moth at its center. It's wings were embellished by shimmering rubies and pink diamonds. 

" I only know one thing... "

More tears cascaded down Charlie's downcast eyes with what she began to say next

"It is something that I do not deserve..." 

**◦◎✺◎◦**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you guys are searching for Al he'll be making an appearance later on. For now, here's the prologue.


	2. Last night in Paris

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long but I hope it's worth the wait. I was side tracked reading other fan fics I can get my hands to and have other obligations to attend to. This is a Charlie centric chapter as well as the first few chapters. This chappie is set a day before the prologue. Enjoy!

  
Charlie meticulously smoothed out and folded her clothes. She arranged them along with her bodily essentials like lotions, make-up and hair curler inside the large trolley bag lying atop the pink mattress of a well-kept bed. The servants had offered assistance during their cleaning rounds which was refused politely. She'd like a semblance of privacy when it comes to her personal belongings

Her fingers were languid in movement, taking her time to pack everything. She will depart from France first thing in the morning. She cannot deny that the home sickness quickly crept in as if her 2 month vacation from Manhattan didn't quite dawn upon her.

While both New York and Paris are great bustling cities, the paradise of love and lights have always been special. It's where Charlie first took a glance of the world and the domicile of her forefathers. Most of her living relatives permanently reside in the area and so she was kept with familiar company. The company whose presence she would sought out for days on end once she bounce back to reality in the States.

Charlie heaved out a disheartened sigh. As much as possible she'd like to spend more time with the family but she can't just turn away from business matters filling her plate and a girlfriend that too require her time and attention. Speaking of Vaggie, the salvadorian have yet to send messages for days. The blonde thought it best not to initiate the first contact, refraining from taking the image of a clingy lover and instigate Vaggie's temper. She had to allow Vaggie to reach out first because between the two of them, she has a demanding career and her breaks are often irregular. Rampant crimes do not stand still in the streets for her and criminals needed to be put in their place by the law.

Honestly, Charlie don't know what Vaggie had seen in her the first day that so called love was ever offered across the table when she's nothing but a college drop out with childish antics who sings on her breaks and sways her hips to an imaginary beat every now and then.

Vaggie was a more realistic, rigid, sensible and ruthless counterpart yet she stayed with her for 7 years. The blonde's angelic features softened, they've reached past half a decade already. What they had got its own fair share of imperfections so she couldn't understand how they ever got this far. All Chalie knew was that she's genuinely happy.

The blonde belle hummed a random love song whilst thinking about Vaggie as her hands busy themselves picking everything up and stashing them neatly in her crimson travel bag.

Just as she was done placing her clothes, she laid eyes on a legal sized brown folder underneath her pile of necessities and her smile dropped. She picked it up and hurriedly hid it inside the bag like it would burn her fingers at any moment. She slammed the lid shut and zipped the bag not wanting to be reminded of it's existence. No, more like the presence of what's inside the material.

She sat down at the edge of the queen sized-bed and her eyes were glazed with tears. Her shoulders sagged feeling helpless. She wanted to burn it so bad just to give her temporary respite.

Her phone's ringing eventually cut whatever thoughts that ran in her mind and made her way to the vanity across the room where the object had lit to show a brief message from her significant other. The moment she saw the name flash on the screen, pin pricks of guilt rained down her chest cavity. It was intermixed with the joy of finally hearing from her lover.

As always, she picked it up and scrolled down to read it. Only one was sent but it was enough to capsize the tears right away. She gradually got off her sorrows to savor those few words only meant for her. She badly needed them, the self-serving part of her. 

『 _ **VAGGIE: Hun? Since you'll be flying back to New York hours from now, I was wondering, do you have free time later in the evening? 』**_

Her lips upturned to a grin. Vaggie remembered her time of return. She instinctively tapped the screen as quick as she could like it was a second nature of hers and sent out a reply right off the bat

『 _ **CHARLIE: I'll be dealing with paperworks but I'll make room in case you want to hang out 』**_

_**『VAGGIE: Great. I hope this is not too much to ask but can we see each other at 7:00 pm? 』** _

_**『CHARLIE: Ooohhh someone's eager to see me** _ _**~! Sure thing. Where to? 』** _

『 _ **VAGGIE: At the usual. 』**_

_**『CHARLIE: Okay. Love you.』** _

Vagatha did not send out anymore responses. It was the polar opposite to the lengthy messages the salvadorian would flood her on their first few years of being together. A lot of changes presented themselves right away when Vaggie graduated from college after all. Her selfish side wanted to rid those pesky cases for at least a month so they could spend some quality time together but that's asking too much. Charlotte's gonna have to take whatever chances she can get with the prosecutor.

Yes, whatever opportunity that is offered.

Time will not stop for one Charlotte Magne and as cruel as it may seem, her time is indeed ticking. Her narrowing eyes took a side glance at her trolley, regarding the file inside with deep thought. She was still for a minute before  
  
  


" Knock, knock! my sweet canary"

Charlie's train of thought derailed itself to face the newcomer at the open doorway. She greeted the woman entering her quarters with a shammed smile she perfected whenever needed to conceal her inner turmoil. She couldn't afford giving any more worries. 

" Is everything packed for your trip back?"

Gabriella Magne stepped towards her bed and stared at the trolley bag. Her simple apple green dress flowed in waves behind her with ease

"Yes Auntie!"

Despite Charlie's confirmation, the woman unzipped the bag to be sure. The blonde belle wasn't so surprised with her actions. Ever since kindergarten, from her first to her last batch of school camping trips, plane rides and the like, Gabriella would visit her room to tidy up her stuff and double check everything.

Over the years, her own mother would get too caught up filing divorce papers that she wont even bat an eye on her own child. Her dad was no different if not worse. Charlie is at times left under the care of her Aunt and Uncles as a result. Luckily, they bring her to their business trips abroad so she seldom sees the quarelling couple further sparing her from the mental scar their feud would always inflict.

Charlie only ever sees her parents when they remarry. If she could recall, they got married 7 times during her childhood . They have her play the flower girl role for publicity because of her cherub facade that the media would horde. Lilith was a famed actress and singer, she liked to keep a good image in the midst of her issues if she can.

Gabriella, on the other hand, was the only person who was ever closest to a mother figure throughout her entire life. She was her shoulder to cry on and would lend an ear to patiently listen to Charlie's rants about the most trivial of romantic issues down to more pressing ones.

She never changed even to this day. Hands always occupied with Charlie whenever necessary.

" Charlotte Magne"

The blonde instinctively flinched. It came out stern from her Aunt. When Gabriel whispers her entire name like that, it usually ends in constant nagging. Did she forgot something? What did she do this time? The woman is much of an angel from up above in her best of moods but she's equally intimidating.

" Where are your pain relievers and medicines? Why aren't they packed in here? "

The woman fully faced her with arms crossed above her ample chest. Of course, that would be her primary concern.

"Oh! Right! Uncle Rafa is still having them prepared. He told me to pick them up at his study later"

The tension in the room dissipated to sunshine and rainbows when Gabriel's man-killing grin had shown on that pretty face. She was satisfied with the answer. Charlie let out a sigh of relief. She would normally pry if not satiated

"I see! Why didn't you say so right away? You know how important they are, right?" 

Gabriel turned her attention once more towards the contents of the bag. She was careful not to disarrange anything and even counted Charlie's underwear of all things. The blonde turned a deep shade of red in utter embarrassment

" Charlie, you arrived in France with 30 pairs of undies. There's only 29. Where's the red Victoria's secret?" 

" A-Aunt Gabe!!! Do you seriously have to check them?! And how do you even know I own a pair!? " 

"Of course I'd know such trivial details! I won't qualify as your legal guardian if I don't, even if you're no longer under my wing. Also, I'd deem an unmentionable's disappearance suspicious. And if so, I'm gonna have to report to Vagatha if I must!" 

Her Aunt Gabe's sensitivity to detail was too overwhelming. Charlie will never get used to it.

"I'm wearing them right now!" 

She managed to squeak out 

" Oh?" 

Gabriella's cerulean eyes travelled to Charlie's chest, all the way down her crotch. She was in her baggy night dress but the woman wouldn't miss certain details. She soon gave out a hearty giggle realizing that fact. 

" Of course! Oh god, I feel like a grandam. How forgetful of me." 

She was almost teary eyed when she held back her chuckles

"So, when's Vagatha proposing? The both of you have been together for several years now. I think it's high time you girls settle down " 

Gabriella elegantly crossed her legs as she sat on the soft mattress of Charlie's bed. She patted the seat next to hers and the blonde joined her side. The younger of the two felt like blurting out something of the same nature

" I could say the same for you Auntie. Just please do not marry Trench! That guy's obviously a pervert! "

Charlie placed both hands on her shoulder blades looking freaked out just thinking about the creep hounding her precious Auntie.

" Excuse me? Trench? Who?" 

Gabriella raised an eyebrow in confusion

" Don't go feigning ignorance on me now. Clearly you dated him" 

Charlie said in exasperation. She wasn't so pleased with the man that she won't take any mischievous lie from her Aunt. 

" oh dear, you mean Thomas Trench? that was just a news Katy Killjoy had spread. We had nothing but edited pictures of walking out the same car. That sinister woman only ever did that for her own benefit." 

"What do you mean?" 

"Oh, you know how your Uncles are right? It's why Tom is still in a state of coma right now. With him out of the picture, she earned herself the seat as top news anchor in that T.V. channel" 

Charlie could recount the maids whispering about Michael and Rafael going out on a man hunt at the local bars a month ago. They caught Tom red handed in the middle of his dalliances so they had to teach him a thing or two. Charlie would have cheered them on if she did not know the entire story. She's now feeling sorry for Trench and his misfortune for being mistaken as Gabriella's rumored lover. Killjoy's wickedness knew no bounds. 

" Now, enough of that pumpkin. Tell me, Vagatha ever showed signs of popping it?"

Gabriella playfully poked Charlie's sides making the blonde recoil a few inches from her to spare herself from a tickle war. 

"O-on the contrary, we've become quite distant since she barely has time. I think proposing would be the last thing she would do at this point" 

Somehow she's disappointed thinking about it but it can't be helped when Vaggie's career driven. And Charlie's not exactly the wife material. She barely knows how to cook. 

" Really? Now that's a surprise. She's far too taken with you, isn't she? Are you sure about that? "

Gabe straightened her posture, her eyes had a hint of full interest it was almost suspicious. Charlie wrote it off as her usual form of intrigue though. 

" well you know, she's a prosecutor whose cases just pile up one after another. " 

Charlie motioned piling tons of invisible papers in the air one after another. And slumped her shoulders, sighing out loudly. Gabriella had a small curve up her pink lips but a glint of concern surfaced upon her irises. She side glanced at Charlie's open bag and slipped out the brown folder 

" When are you going to end the charade Charlie?" 

That sudden question took her aback. She stared vacantly at anything her eyes landed on from across her room but Gabriella's shuffling side of the bed, clearly avoiding the course of the conversation. The harsh reminder of guilt throttled her heart. She knew where this was going and felt like dodging the topic. She could only cover it up with as much ignorance as she could.

"whatever do you mean, Auntie?" 

Gabriella placed the frail material to the side as she held one of Charlie's hands, squeezing it gently with one of her own while her free palm pressed on Charlie's perpetual red tinged cheeks to slightly angle her face and finally look her straight in the eye. Ever so gently, her aunt spoke to her 

"when are you going to tell her your condition, Charlie? " 

She rephrased it with a firm tone. The two were met by silence, they were locked in a stare down. None of them refused to back off. That was until Charlie's lips quivered and labored sobs echoed throughout the room. The tears she kept at bay were hardly contained as the surge of emotion gushed straight through the flood gates. Gabriella's thumbs immediately dabbed off the tears marring the blonde's rosy cheeks. Charlie managed to croak out a response as she was soon met by her aunt's familiar embrace. Gabriella rubbed a palm upon Charlie's back with careful stokes, as if she was holding a porcelain doll

" I... I honestly don't know... Auntie... I promised myself I'd tell her the instant we start dating but days turned to weeks until I woke up one day and we're on our 7th year! Everytime I try, I get tongue tied and just couldn't bring it up feeling a lot of things will... change between us. Vaggie was self-supporting her studies way back. I-I couldn't just waltz in one day telling her that... I-I...never even expected to be given this blessing. It's so cruel Auntie. How could this have happened? I-I should have just cut ties before... "

Charlie squeezed her eyes shut and buried her face on the crook of her Aunt's neck. The blonde cried tears of anguish until her face was blood red and all of it felt spent. The woman made sure to hold her close for comfort as she poured her emotional ache. It was only when her cries mellowed to sniffles that Gabe decided to unwrap her hold

" Oh my darling...She deserves to know the truth" 

Charlie had a dejected nod, biting her lower lip. 

" I know, Auntie... I know. And I intend to shed some light before I go to New Orleans" 

Gabriella was on the verge of tears herself but held it in. Charlie was amazed by her resilience wishing she could keep it together like her aunt. Maybe she would look less pathetic than she already was. 

" I'm sorry we could no longer do anything for you. I'm sorry you and Vaggie had to go through this. If I could just take away all the pain..." 

The blonde vigorously shook her head

" Auntie... Please don't say that. You guys... All three of you did more than I would deserve. You've sacrificed so much and I haven't even thanked you enough to amount to all your support... God, I love you so much! ... I wish I have more time to show it. " 

The two found themselves holding each other in a suffocating hug as if it was their last.

" My sweet canary... Heaven knows we love you more than all the riches in this world. More than our lives combined. More than you know darling."

Hearing the sorrow not her own, was a hammer upon Charlie's gut

" Why... Why don't you take the operation? "

Gabriella pulled away, there was a glint of hope that shimmered in those darkening blue eyes. The blonde felt bad for ruining a wishful plea but she turned rigid. A decision had already been made by Chalie herself and she won't relinquish what she had thought was best for her. She's no longer a child. 

" No, like I said before, I won't have time for Louisiana if I choose to do the procedure"

Her brows furrowed 

" Darling, stop being so unreasonable. Must you go? You're strong Charlie, I just know you'll make it and there will be plenty of time to see the Mardi Gras then" 

Gabriella searched for a single chink in her resolve. She had anticipation written all over face for what's to come next. It had been asked millions of times. But Charlie would voice out the same reply twice as much if she had to. 

"I've made up my mind..." 

The woman pressed her lips thin and her eyes glazed before flashing Charlie a resigned smile. Her head hung low and nodded

" Okay, okay...If that is your wish... I shall no longer question it. Just.. Just... Be careful, okay? 

The blonde did not believe a single word nor a sign of surrender from her. Charlie's known the woman enough to be aware of the fact that she'd show relent from her impossibly optimistic mindset if and only if Hell freezes up and Heaven be damned to char and ashes. Charlotte had a triumphant smile nevertheless, her Aunt showed sign of agreement with her albeit for show. 

" I will Auntie"

" Promise me you'll take your medication. Never neglect it once you're in Louisiana. Make sure to be polite and smile even to strangers. If Vaggie proposes, take it dear but at the expense of all your secrets. It should be a fair trade. She'll understand for certain if that's what you're worried about . Have no regrets my Charlie" 

" Yes ma'am! With pleasure!" 

She mocked salute. Gabriella was about to lean in to kiss the crown of her head when a flash of running figures pounced at them. They were taken by surpise when tiny paws pressed everywhere--on their torsos, to their legs and shoulders. Licks assaulted their faces. About 20 puppies of different dog breeds crowded Charlie's room and feats of laughter and excited barking ensued.

In between giggles, Gabriella was not one bit pleased and exclaimed as she was tickled by fur and puppy kisses

"Michael!!!!!!!!!"

Boy, was she mad. Thank heavens they were newly adopted pups from the pound and weren't big enough to completely drown the women in a sea of dog coat. 

" Anybody called?" 

A man of towering height and fine build entered. Charlie quickly turned to the source of the baritone voice that echoed in her pastel hued chambers as the puppies jumped off and crowded their master with wags and loving barks. It was like a spell to her and a buzzing glee began to build itself up. Her Uncle Michael's appearance was an unexpected bliss. He's supposed to be at the other side of the world since a week ago and couldn't see her off first thing in the morning. His presence gave her joy. If she didn't feel so emotionally and physically drained from crying she would have him in for a constricting hug. 

" Uncle Mike!" 

She managed to squeal out without her stuffy nose getting in the way. Charlie mirrored a child about to receive her favourite toy for Christmas. She tossed the bearings of a lady when she bounced out of bed, strode to his direction and weakly snuggled on his chest.Well, she's hardly a refined lady to begin with. 

She reveled in the moment, enjoying the warmth he gave off. While Gabriella stood as a Mother, Michael filled the Father's role in her Daddy's constant absence. He was her knight in shining armor and would always be there to defend her as a child. He would encourage her milestones which is why it wasn't so difficult to respond positively to his voice like she did. Above all, he was the first person to teach her how to survive the chaotic world she was born in. 

Charlie took in a short whiff of his cologne. Her Auntie smelled like jasmines while he had the musk of spice and well, puppies. It would be a while before she get to see them again once she's in New York. The last she ever went for some rest and relaxation in Paris was 5 years ago about a few months after moving out to manage the family business branch in Manhattan instead of finishing college . She harbored no regrets taking that initiative though. She was old enough and she's glad she was able to convince them even it really took a while for them to just let her spread her wings and fly over another country. They evidently budged when she resorted to her impeccable charms-- grovelling each and every day at their feet with puppy dog eyes on her senior year in high school. Ah, memories. 

" What seems to be the matter, Charlie? "

Michael, ever observant, leaned in to gaze at Charlie's bloodshot eyes

"Is Gabes being a grouch about you and your bad reputation with the cookie jars again?" 

Gabriella glared at him as she combed her dishevelled curls of strawberry blonde hair, trying to fix it up and remove the fur that stuck in between the shiny tresses. 

" We were having girl time before you walked in! And you do not interrupt girl time " 

The woman threw a pillow at his face. He evaded the attack with a side step twirling Charlie along

"Missed! Michael - 1, Gabes- 0!" 

He childishly stuck out his tongue. The next projectile wasn't so forgiving and fell flat on his face. This time Gabriella was laughing in triumph. It had hit his nose that he crouched and the rectangular box he has been holding in his arm when he came, clattered upon the floor. Charlie picked it up. It had a red ribbon wrapped around it and clasped firm with a bedazzled bow at the center. 

"What is this?" 

Michael massaged his nose before grinning proudly 

" This had me occupied in Japan. It really took a while to find the perfect blacksmith to have it refurbished but I'm glad I could hand it to you personally. Open it, love. It's a gift" 

Charlie excitedly tugged the ribbon off to see the masterpiece laying in wait. She let out an audible gasp of adoration. It was a dagger with a hilt made of pure gold, eloquently carved with two intertwined feathers peppered by blue diamonds . It's silver blade was so transparent she could almost see through it like glass. A delicate apple carving was embellished just before the tip of the blade. 

It looked absolutely fragile and so breathtaking she couldn't get herself to touch the present in fear of breaking it

" what a sight for sore eyes!!! Uncle Michael to say its beautiful will be the understatement of the millennia ! I can't wait to have it as centerpiece for the sword collection!" 

Finally gathering the courage to hold the gift, she held the handle and gasped at how feather light it was. Her thumb accidentally pressed one of the gems and the blade sheathed itself inside the hilt. 

" Oh my god!!! It's retractable!!! "

Charlie was ecstatic as she held it up, putting pressure on the same stone so she could admire the blade against the chandelier's lights hardly noticing the serious countenance that etched on Michael's face

" Sugar plum, dear, it is not designed to be in a shelf. There are barbarians out there that could potentially harm you, since I am not around 24/7 you will have to keep this in your person. ALWAYS." 

There he goes with the normal drama, Charlie noted. He held both of her hands and squeezed them gently as his verdant eyes locked on her black ones to emphasize every word. 

" Got that? You have to promise me, especially when you reach New Orleans. We have no relatives there and the family has no connections nor acquaintances. We won't be able to check on you. "

The blonde thought of the pain it would put her through once caught by the many mall guards in one of her shopping excursions by bringing in a dangerous weapon in the grounds. She's definitely in for a tirade. There's also the check points at the airports. However, her Uncle is an overprotective and achingly stubborn man. She won't be able to escape his pleas if she wouldn't swear to him to keep it with her at all times. 

Gabriel quirked a brow and crossed her arms at the new arrival. She beat Charlie at voicing out the obvious red flags raised by its presence alone.

" Why! Mike! Not only is that a hassle, it will be unbecoming of a lady such as Charlotte to be brandishing around such weaponry! " 

" It's for self defense Gabe" 

Countered Michael

" Seriously, you're over reacting. Isn't that the point of you exposing her to Judo, Karate, and even kick boxing and wrestling? If she brings around a weapon like that there will be issues. I say Charlie's martial arts background would suffice come an unexpected attack at the alleys. She's also smart enough to know where a sniper might be posted."

Charlie couldn't agree more. Sure, a dagger would give a great advantage from human adversaries but it might attract unnecessary attention on her. She's equipped with a good background of disarming opponents. She won't have problems at all with or without weapons herself. 

Michael had the look of an injured puppy for getting his hard work trampled on. That was when Charlie felt like the bad guy. The man made efforts just to get the gift for her, she will have to appease him. 

" Aunt Gabe, I think it would serve me a great purpose during my travels. I'll be careful hiding it" 

Charlie placed a hand on her Aunt's shoulder in reassurance. She placed the gift gently back in its box and closed it with an appreciative smile. 

"When I'm out cruising in the car or strolling around the parks or anywhere I could think of to visit, I'll be sure to keep this with me. We'll never know when the next assassin would strike right? It would be nice to bring a weapon or two" 

Mike went from dim to beaming in delight. 

" My Charlie still has the heart of a warrior!" 

He cheered, raising his arms up in the air like a child. His long braided blonde hair swayed at his back in every movement. Charlie couldn't help but mirror the upbeat energy. It was exhilarating. 

" I passed by Rafa's room on my way here by the way. He told me the serums are ready. You can go on ahead and fetch them Charlie" 

"Oh, okay! I'll be right back!" 

Charlie took her exit, some of the puppies followed her lead. Together, they entered winding hallways with walls of velvet, occupied by portraits or fixture of sconces alight. The ceilings were adorned by crystal chandeliers that lit her way towards a golden elevator leading up to the topmost floor where she came knocking on a mahogany door. There was no response from the other side so she welcomed herself in. She found a raven haired man sound asleep with head upon his study table littered by various books, pens and scrap papers.

She shushed her companions as she approached. Just beside him, was a medium sized white box with a scribble ' _To Charlie_ <3'. He even colored the heart shape at the end. It wasn't anything new but still had the same effect, Charlotte was deeply touched . He was like a sweet, big brother to her. She kissed his exposed cheek and left with the package. He's been sleep deprived for days and Charlie didn't want to disrupt a well deserved rest. 

She left just as soon as she entered, the puppies trailed behind rather preoccupied with the squishy toys that littered the floor. She overheard a conversation no, more like an argument between her Uncle and Aunt on her way back to her room

" _I_ _might not be able to take it, Mike. Let's convince her to cancel Louisianna and just take the operation."_

_"It's her decision Gabriella, it's her life not ours"_

_" Why do I feel like all of you have given up? It's not too late! We have to do something! "_

" _It's not giving up Gabe. It's called respect. Charlie is no longer a child whose convinctions we can control. She's her own person now."_

_"Preposterous! We are talking about a life and death situation here not a college admission, not an engagement, Mike! "_

" _I believe this conversation is over Gabriella. She's been through so much and she should at least be given the liberty to decide how she'll spend her remaining days even if we completely disagree with her choices. It's hurting me as much as it hurts you and Rafa but there's nothing more that we can do than support what would make Charlie happy"_

Charlie heard her Aunt shed tears for the first time.

It was painful to hear. 

Everything seem excruciatingly painful to bear and she can't do anything about it. 

**◦◎✺◎◦**

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For this fic, I've come to decide that Charlie have been raised by her Archangel folks--Michael, Rafael, and Gabriel. I'd like to explore what she would be like around such kind creatures. I wouldn't leave Lilith and Luci out of the picture of course. Also, Gabriel is a woman here so someone would balance the boys.


	3. What is Love?

  
_" Charlie... You have to run"_

_Doe eyes looked up at her mother's half mast silver eyes. She could hear Lilith's bated breathing and the hissing as she clutched her side. An alarmingly widening pool of crimson liquid gathered upon the floor and Charlie could barely will herself not to retch and focus. She couldn't stand it's presence especially when it's been drained out from the person she held dear_

_" I can't... I can't just leave you here, Mom! You're badly wounded and you could hardly walk. I'll stitch it up no problem! I'm sure there's a first aid kit lying around here somewhere! Just... "_

_She ripped a sizable amount of her red tux, hands trembling in trepidation just as she reached out to hold the cloth firm in place upon the terrible gash on the left hand side of her mother's abdomen in desperate attempt to halt the bleeding. She could hardly make sense of her surroundings with the ringing in her head, the stench of iron and copper and the dried blood, not her own, dressing her forehead and nearly coating her eyes lids shut. Yet Charlie forced a faltering smile to pacify the likely disarray of thoughts running up her dying mother's head. No, she's not dying. Charlie denied that harsh reality._

_" U-Uncle Rafa taught me enough so I'll make good use of it, just hold on okay?"_

_The blonde rattled out rather unsure if her skills would be enough to replicate the doctor's healing prowess. Her scraped knees protested as she kneeled close to the woman who was leaning on a bullet ridden pillar for support. At a distance, one would see an image of destruction and chaos--debris of fallen chandeliers, glass shards, splintered portraits, bombarded concrete walls and flames. A scalding desert raged not far from the two souls who were trapped in the ruin with likely little to no means of escape._

_" Charlie, I know I haven't been a good mother and I know you'll hardly listen to me , but you have to run... You have to leave me here. You have to save yourself..."_

_Lilith was no fool she's not as insufferaby optimistic as her daughter, any second and they'd suffocate, burn or bulldozed by concrete. Her warm palms touched both of her cheeks and her thumbs rubbed them soothingly as she could in her dire state praying Charlie would accept the circumstances they're in_

_" I can no longer walk my love... I will hinder your escape"_

_She weakly spoke with immeasurable softeness as if she's whispering to a baby. Charlie refused to spare Lilith's fractured leg a single glance and instead hooked her good arm around her shoulder, she carefully hoisted her up to her good feet_

_" No you won't! I can carry you no problem! I swear I will get us both out of here!"_

_The blonde's bruised, scrawny legs wobbled from supporting not just her own weight but also that of another.Lilith brought out a strained sob._

_" Will you please stop being stubborn for once and listen to me!"_

_Charlie shook her head in defiance as she pushed on, refusing to stop her slow but painstaking pace always mindful of her patient_

_" I won't! Like you said you've never been a good mother. Once we get out of here you'll get that chance!"_

_" Charlie just let me go! "_

_" How could you say that to my face?! Will you please stop being so selfish for once in your life?! Live with me! Live with me and with Daddy! Choose us for once in your life Lilith! Choose your family! **Fight for me!** "_

_Charlie screamed out loudly, taking the woman aback. It's been building up in the blonde's chest for nearly two decades and she refused to just let Lilith run her mouth like that, the pent-up emotion finally burst out of the constricting confines and it was like a considerable amount of weight lifted off Charlie's chest._

_" Now shut your trap, Mother! We are busting out of here! "_

_The blonde chose to round a corner to a hallway less infested by glowing gas with a silenced Lilith in tow. Either she managed to knock some sense out of the woman or things came down to what Charlie dreaded the most. She figured Lilith's becoming delirious with the blood loss she's been riddled for what felt like hours. Panic rose in the pits of her stomach. She has to find that accursed exit and fast. The blonde berated herself for this. For all this havoc. If only she wasn't far too stupid and naive this wouldn't have happened._

_All of this would have been evaded if she just chose to give in and let go of her foolish ideals. Now the people she care about is suffering for it. The few people who chose to trust her have all been burnt to the ground but her. All that's remained for her inside the rundown hotel is the perishing woman in her arms and her father._

_A new wave of anxiety sent raging alarms in her head. The three of them have been separated when the gun men first burst in the function hall, fired haphazardly and bombed the entire building. His whereabouts gave Charlie frenzied unease._

_She gave their pace a brief pause and fished her phone from her pant's pocket. It was good thing she chose to wear a tux for the evening else she'd have difficulty fleeing from the dangers that lurked in the spacious canvas of havoc and despair. She tapped the cracked screen, hoping the other line would respond but there was nothing but dismissal from the mobile service provider earning a curse from her lips._

_Charlie wanted to cry from frustration, fear and anger. Blood have sullied her hands because of her lack of better judgement and that's that. Yet she held back her whimpers to ease the woman at her side. It wasn't the time to weep when there were assailants after them as well. All armed to the tooth, clad in pitch black and will offer no remorse for two defenseless women. She listened to her surroundings, attentive of any foot falls as she trudged_

_" I'm so proud of you..."_

_Charlie side glanced to look at her Mom. For a stretch of several seconds she was frozen in place, disbelief was all over her marred face as if she heard something from a different tongue and a different world all on its own._

_" I'm so proud of what my daughter have become"_

_Bitterly, Charlie answered_

_" A failure. A big fat failure, mom. I don't even know if I'll ever make a difference... I... Just look at all these"_

_" no, I see a champion."_

_Lilith grinned with pride albeit her bad shape._

_"Nobody believed in your cause until tonight darling, you managed to gain patrons all on your own. Hell, even your father checked in to watch the spectacle. But as I said before it would take a lot of effort for it to work out and the road would be rough especially with what you're up against. It's not guaranteed smooth sailing and this would be the first tempest as you sail to your dream. But it is a step my love. And with this, promise me you won't loose sights of what you're willing to accomplish.I never could admit this out loud when I found it so laughable myself, forgive me for that. It's a foolish but it's also a wonderful dream Charlie. Hold on to it. "_   
  


_Charlie couldn't pin point if it's the exhaust from burning debris that caught her eyes or she's glazing herself with tears of joy. She had dreamt of this moment for the longest time. To hear at least a single speck of approval from the people she owed her existence. She was just about to answer her when a huge explosion erupted and the floor shook violently sending them both tumbling. Gun shots was heard not far from where they stood. Charlie's eyes frantically searched for weapons she could use._

_She's not about to go down without a fight. A metal rod was still not far from her sprawled body. It's futile against a gun fight but its better than nothing. When her ears caught the sound of approaching foot steps her mind raced with adrenaline and grabbed hold of the make shift sword, took a defensive stance with her injured companion safe at her backside._

_"Charlie! Lilith! Oh my goodness! I'm so glad to see you both!"_

_At the sound of that familiar voice, her weapon clanked against the wooden floor. Lucifer bolted towards their direction, their paths finally crossed to be reunited. He tossed away his shotgun and joined their side. He looked like he was out of ammunition but it wasn't what Charlie gave a shit about at that moment_

_" Daddy! Daddy thank god you're okay!"_

_She embraced him, welling up in tears and he reciprocated without hesitation, holding them both close to him as much as his arms could. Like Charlie and Lilith he was covered in blood. The blonde's gut twisted to knots all the while hoping it wasn't his own. But he seem to still be intact and strong. Good, she needed his strength. Her muscles were bound to surrender at any moment what with all the physical strain she had to endure._

_They walked the hallways, with Lucifer carrying his former wife and Charlie had the shot gun at the front ready to shoot down enemies creeping round the halls. There were a few buckshots left and she's appreciative of the fact that she was trusted enough to even hold the weapon. Lights in the old mansion blinked and flickered as they passed. Minds completely on guard and ready for an onslaught._

_"This is some family reunion"_

_Lilith couldn't hold back the comment_

_"couldn't agree more"_

_Charlie let out a small devoid snort in reply. How could one day turn from frolic and glam to a violent shit storm._

_" After this, let's all take a vacation to Maldives"_

_Lucifer suggested in glee, feeling he could lighten up the tension. The women can't help but giggle in excitement for just a moment. Charlie wished what he meant by "all" would limit to him, her and Lilith. Never would she spend time with that step mother of hers whose a year her junior and had a tongue solely phenomenal at sucking dicks with many nonsense to say. Lucifer should just invite her Uncles and Aunt if he yearns a good dose of intellectual exchange and a slap of reality. He'd loose all his functioning brain cells with that stupid, clingy girl. Charlie rather see her relatives duking it out with her father than burning her eyes at a ridiculous display of affection._

_They continued on their way to the nearest exit when Charlie tripped and stumbled on her face. She quickly used her arms for support and shivered in horror to see a mutilated corpse staring right at her. She practically scrambled away only to bump her back upon a few others mounted on each other, their ghastly, grotesque gazes sending Charlie vomiting dinner at a corner. She was in tears as she clutched her stomach. They were faces she often greeted. To see them brutally murdered drove her to insanity._

_" Charlotte, let's keep going. Crying won't take them back"_

_Her father's voice managed to ground her right when she was in the brink of madness. That's right, it's pointless all she could do now is remain alive to serve them justice. She wiped her tears dry and they resumed their journey. They were met by an inferno at the ground floor soon enough. With no better option they opted to jump out the nearest window in hopes of surviving a 30 feet fall down the good bushes below. As they were about to calculate a less bone crushing fall, Lucifer was in distress and so was Charlie._

_Lilith was awfully cold._

_" Lilith? Lilith?!"_

_Lucifer tried shaking her awake but with no response, he wrapped his arms around her as he choked out a sob. The once prideful man was on his knees and crying helplessly. She was ice cold and limp in his hold._

_" God!!! Help her please!!!! I beg you!!! Don't take her!!! "_

_He pleaded to the god he tossed aside so long ago in desperation_

_" Mom!!! Mommy!!! Mommy! Wake up! Please open them... open your eyes please!!!!"_

_Charlie scooped her mother's pale cheeks, felt the absence of the pulse upon her neck. Her life have been snuffed and the broken family, with only shards left to break shattered further to pulverised pieces, unimaginable._

_Another explosion blasted the upper levels sending them collapsing on the ground, losing their balance. And what had happened the next instant was the yeilding of the ceiling up above. Charlie found herself pushed out the window right before the entire vicinity was wrecked in shambles. She was free falling out the building with nothing but raspy screams_

_" **DADDY!!!!"** _

_A thud and splintering of wood followed and the air was knocked out from Charlie's lungs her fractured form rolled away from the large bush. Her consciousness slowly slipped but the adrenaline rush kept her from going. She sniffed helplessly and gave out a silent scream. Her voice, no more, as she crawled away with all her might in fear of getting splattered flat by the fallen brick wall descending towards her mangled body. The close to inaudible sounds of footfalls upon grass was the last thing she remembered and the hums of bullet shells. Shells that splattered her skull open, sent her teetering down the void._   
  
  
  
  
  


✺

Obsidian eyes shot open and a full gasp of air sent her heart pumping and her mind soaring. Charlie flayed her arms and legs around as she howled as if she was in deep excruciating physical pain. She fell out of bed and the thump was more than enough to remind her that it was nothing but a dream. A vivid recollection of a dark past she contained to the depths of her consciousness. And yet it somehow reared itself out when its been 10 years since.

Even so, it plunged too deep and scathed her too much that she could hardly keep the whimpers at bay. She sniffled and made use of the foot of her bed to support her slumping back.

" **come back... Come back... Come back...open them...come back... come back... Come back... Come back...open them please...come back... come back... Come back... Come back...open them...come back... come back... Come back... Come back...open them...come back... come back... Come back... Come back...open them...come back...please... "**

She stayed whispering it like a chant as she gripped her blonde hair and her pants rapidly took over. Her hyperventilating wrapped her up in a spell sending her out cold for several hours.

When she came to, she had a confused look in her face to see herself laying on the cold floor with all the rainbow blankets as her cocoon. She blinked her groggy eyes and spotted her red trolley a few paces from the glass doorway of her bedroom.

She expected the sight of white oak but then realized she's no longer in Paris. She's in her penthouse situated in New York.

She bid her farewells to the rest of her family one misty morning and took a plane straight back to the present. She sat upright, her eyes landed on the digital clock sitting by the lamp atop her bedside table. It was 11:00 am, plenty of time for her to grab some brunch and prepare for her date with Vaggie later tonight.

She's disappointed to have skipped a proper breakfast for the umpteenth time but that's the least of her concerns. She groaned, her aching side started to kill her as she stood on both feet.

The blonde wondered how long she's been on the floor and how in the world did she fall off her massive bed.

When stretching out her muscles became more manageable, she picked up the bedazzled frilly pillows that littered the pink carpeted floor and flopped her furry rainbow sheets straight back to the mattress. She smoothed it out after arranging her pillows and adjusted the pink miniature curtains decorating her four posted bed. Usually somebody else would do such trivial tasks for her but living independently teaches one many things even to a sheltered little Princess such as herself.

She did not stay to admire her handiwork as her stomach growled. The imaginary scent of muffins, pancakes, bacon and eggs wafted about her mind. Another thing she'd miss from Paris would be the home cooked meal made special by her loyal butlers. It's no use lamenting over the absence now of course when her insides churned, sending a blaring command to head to the grocery store just down the block, ASAP.

Charlie noted a small list of must-haves as she stepped in the bathroom to brush her teeth. She barely recognised herself in the mirror what with her veined sclera and a lion's mane for hair. Had she been crying? The fog of sleep had lifted off completely and she realized she had that macabre dream earlier. It revisits at random intervals at least once a month. She had it worst when she was 19 but she's handling it fairly well over the years. She shrugged it off as typical and prepared herself for a bath.

Feeling refreshed after the usual routine, Charlie picked out a simple red baggy t-shirt, some loose pants, a black beanie hat and a pink jacket. She pushed past the glass doors of her bedroom and went down a small plight of stairs to a massive living room with curtained glass windows that overlooked the city, it stretched up to the ceiling giving one a generous view.

She got herself out of her metropolis living space and locked the front door. She placed her keys inside the jacket pocket that contained a wad of cash she would make use of. Charlie hastily left her building and went binge shopping for supplies. She was back past 12:00 with two heavy bags in hand, nothing a hungry little beast can't handle

Slightly burnt pancakes, bacon and eggs comprised Charlie's deluxe version of a 'meal' ( at least she's getting better) which she happily consumed with the delicious freshly baked pastry she got from that famed bakery that opened just a couple of months ago. She sat before a wide screen television, chowing down on her red couch. A huge claw print at the furniture's side wasn't entirely missed as cotton popped out reminding Charlie of her fuss when Vaggie coerced her to the airport two months ago.

She just giggled and thought of fixing it up after she unpacks. After the monster in her belly was well fed, she got to work. The contents of her luggage bag were moved out upon a pink table inside her walk-in closet but she did not stash her trusty red companion inside one of the cabinets since the bag will be used for her trip to Louisiana. She placed it by the door before beginning to hang all her clean clothes within the safety of one of the white cabinets.

She made it a habit to neatly arrange everything inside the giant space recalling the traumatising stumble a year ago when she got inside this walk-in closet which was hardly considered as such but a garbage dump at its full glory. She flipped a full 360 and was sore for days. She's turned over a new leaf for the year and she would like to keep it that way.

Half an hour later and the objects that was left on the pink table was the dreadful brown folder, her dagger's rectangular wooden container and the white box of legal drugs. Her eyes were on the folder, she embraced the frail material and Gabriella's words rang in her head  
  
  


> " _Darling...She deserves to know the truth"_

Charlie took a deep breath. Alright, no more beating around the bush. She's going to tell Vaggie tonight. She has to and whatever comes of it, she would accept everything with open arms. There will be tears and spiteful remarks for sure but she had to face the consequences of the lies and the secrecy that enveloped one Charlotte Magne.  
  


✺✥◦☬◦✥✺  
  


Charlie opted for a simple cream hued, turtle neck dress amongst her pile of favourite pinks and reds. It had a very short sleeve and it accentuated her figure nicely. It's short skirt was a less bouncy mimicry of a ballerina's and was a few inches up her knee giving her legs a decent but still appealing look. She applied red lip bomb on her lips and styled her hair to a simple lone braid. She clasped a golden necklace with a pint-sized apple pendant on her neck and tiny diamond earings on the lower most shell of her ears.

She stared at the woman in the mirror and hummed in approval. The skirt had a small pocket enough to secure her phone and the hilt of her dagger. As promised she'd keep the gift with her at all times. She gave herself a turn, checking the get-up before slipping in black kitten heeled shoes.

She grabbed the brown folder and exited the skyscraper in a red ferrari. Charlie cruised the bustling streets, maneuvering the car with ease as she made her way to this quaint but absolutely breathtaking victorian themed restaurant 30 blocks from her home. Upon arriving at her destination, a vallet promptly got her keys and she was inside the establishment in no time, clutching the folder on her side

She expected a jam-packed expanse of round tables but much to her surprise, the entire area was oddly empty of patrons. There was no sign of Vaggie as well. Charlie checked her golden wrist watch and realized she came 15 minutes early. Well, that's enough time to relax and go over her speech. God, she crossed her fingers she would not fumble on her words and create an even bigger mess. She was greeted by a short woman wearing the standard waiter uniform and ushered her to a table under Vagatha's reservation.

" Hello, I'm Millie and I shall be your waitress for this evening. May I take your order, Ma'am?"

Charlie checked the menu and found the steak appealing to her current taste buds that crave a good shot of protein. Vaggie would love quite a meal as well so she had it ordered. Wine was offered in which the blonde accepted gratefully. It helped wind down the nerves coiling her insides tightly.

Midway her drink, the restaurant door went ajar and what looked like a living doll, no a girl, wearing a white, frilly lolita costume stepped in. Her face was glued on her phone that Charlie thought she'd trip on the empty tables but she was dodging them all without difficulty. She even took a few selfie shots before she closed in on Charlie's table. At first the blonde thought she would occupy the neighboring tables but the pretty little thing with quite an abundant, messy velvet hair decorated by an exaggerated white hair band had seated herself in front of Charlie.

The blonde thought there must be some sort of mistake with the reservations and was about to speak when the odd dame addressed her with a sweet grin

"Hi there! You must be Charlotte Magne! Let me introduce myself properly! I'm Velvejica Elizondo-Quintovilla but you can call me Velvet! LOL"

She giggled, raising her phone to angle and get a few successive shots of Charlie's angelic front. Without so much as a warning, the flash had caused the blonde to wince and closed her eyes for a brief moment feeling a pang of irritation. After that, Velvet had her fingers in a peace sign and took a selfie with a bewildered Charlie. Velvet was silent as a grave fairly quickly after, her eyes darted on the phone screen, ignoring the blonde for a whole minute.

" Uh... How did you know my name?"

Was the first thing a confused Chalie had asked in which Velvet responded with a sigh of adoration. It had more of a faux and sarcastic undertone Charlie didn't miss. The development weirded out the blonde and it got much worse.

" So pretty..."

Velvet had busied herself zooming in on the blonde's pictures on her device.

" Of course I'd know the name of another doll like myself. And I'd especially know the name of a home wrecker!!! "

" Excuse me?"

Charlie blinked

" H-O-M-E W-R-E-C-K-E-R. Home wrecker. If you browse on a dictionary you'd see a picture of yourself next to the word! Don't play innocent!"

Velvet repeated happily, spelling it all out as if conversing to a child

Charlie abruptly took offense to a fault at what the words implied. It was huge insult considering she had dealt with her father's numerous mistresses and hated them to hell and back. To be called something so undesirable left her blood boiling faster than a water kettle suspended in a magma laden landscape.

"I'm sorry, but you must have mistaken me for someone else..."

Charlie struggled to keep things civilized between her and the stranger that so easily branded her of something she's really not.Her tone was even and formal . It served to increase a hint mischief flashing on the eccentric girl's eyes though , her phone now set down on the table to give Charlie her full attention.

" I am Vagatha's cousin by the way. And no, there's no other Charlotte Magne. You're the woman set to destroy a 300 year promise between two feuding families."

Velvet raised and smacked together her index fingers in the air with a sing sang motion, emphasising two poles that clash together. On the other hand, Charlie was stunned with what was suddenly accused of her. And what's this about a 300 year promise? Feuding families? And Vaggie has an obviously mentally deranged cousin? She never did mention. Heck, now that Charlie think about it, Vaggie never talked about her family. All the blonde ever knew was her family name that matched what Velvet has mentioned in her introduction earlier. It's the one thing that kept Charlie from running a foul mouth at the girl out of respect for Vaggie.

" And thanks to you, Vagatha abandoned her name. I simply wouldn't miss a snake's pretty little face. Her **fiancé's** been waiting for her at the altar for years now but you came along! "

The blonde was appalled. She couldn't believe what came out of the tactless maiden's mouth, her eyes widened like saucers.

"Her... Her what?"

It was like a splash of cold water. Velvet laughed at her reaction in mockery.

" Wait, you dont know?! OMG and here I thought this relationship of yours is build with solid walls of loooove and truuussst! Well, here's something to enlighten you Charlotte! "

Velvet removed her phone cover, got a flattened piece of squared paper. She began to unfold it. The small piece comprised of folded documents that she slipped towards Charlie. The blonde reluctantly held them in her hands, unsure if she's going to trust this unfamiliar face at all.

" Just a piece of advice, don't live up to your sickening title if you know what's good for you"

Velvet rudely stood without formalities whatsover as she was star struck by a cat video that popped on her device, leaving the blonde with mouth hanging open, eyes skimming through the papers in hand. Velvet tip toed out of the restaurant and disappeared in the streets having that pleased look in her face seeing the blonde squirm in her seat at her final glance.  
  
  
  


Meanwhile, different emotions had caused a stampede in Charlie's weary little heart after reading the contents thoroughly and realized Vaggie hadn't been truthful to their bond all these years.

It was all there, in the documents. Charlie had seen many of them to tell whether they were genuine or not. Her Aunt showed her a huge stack of them once just right after her parent's funeral. And boy were they the real deal. The papers bear official signatures and an insignia of a moth with red diamond splotches on it's wings. It was what Charlie presumed to be a family crest. A copy of a Last Will that aged 300 years back was also found in the small stack with the same symbol delicately etched.

The blonde would openly admit she's got her own share of skeletons in her closet but the fact that Vaggie had hidden something of this degree striked her in varying volumes of pain.  
  
  
  


The woman she loved was already promised to someone else even before her birth. She must have met him a couple of times in her lifetime already. Danced with him, laughed with him behind Charlie's back. And even if there's no such thing as blossoming love between them, he'd still be someone Vaggie's family would consider valid. Someone her clan would approve of and support. Perhaps he's the one occupying Vaggie's time whenever she dismisses Charlie and choose 'work' for the benefit of the State.

Or maybe to benefit herself. An ugly frown creased Charlie's face, it was a demonic sight.

Where is Charlie's place in her life if so?

What is Charlie to Vaggie all these years then?

A warm-up? Something to toy with and explore? An escape? Her dirty little secret? A maiden thrown in to her version of sick trysts?

She's suppose to be marrying someone else yet she indulged on another. It still felt so unfair to Charlie no matter how she tells herself she's been lying to Vaggie all this time too. At least, Charlie had been keeping only one big secret and she's not involving a third party into the mix. It hurt so bad knowing Charlie's the undesirable. A future mistress. A homewrecker. The way Velvet showed resentment to her was justifiable and it pained her to know she's about to tear a family apart with her ignorance and far too trusting nature. 

Charlie nearly ruined the documents to shreds in her tight hold. How could Vaggie do something like this to her? She spoke not a word of it for years when she always had the chance to do so. Maybe that's why everytime Charlie ask about her family, she would shut down the question entirely. It was to protect this information to keep up this piece of freedom she has like some sort of a 7 year long bachelorette party!

Charlie was fuming and tears ran down her cheeks. She hid the document inside the brown folder with such force the contents were crumpled. She can't be around New York anymore and reserved a flight to Lousiana by 3:00 am. She's suppose to fly over the State the week after the next and even try to convince Vaggie to come along but seeing as there's nothing for her in here anymore what's with the hold up? She can start early with her new job then and get acquainted to her employer more properly.

She was hell bent to leave when a small side of her. That fraction in her heart begging for Vaggie tugged her core. Telling her that perhaps she had her reasons and in the right time she would finally come clean. It is an arranged marriage. Who knows, Vaggie probably haven't even seen this Martinito Antonio. Possibilities that contradicted her initial impression of this union flooded her. It anchored her enough to regain her composure and take her seat once more. The blonde will have to wait till Vaggie is ready then. Jumping to conclusions was never a good practice. Many great families, many kingdoms from ages past were plagued by this malady and it will certainly ruin her given what she's about to loose.

She has to hear out Vaggie's side of the story and till then she won't proceed. But it has to be tonight, the blonde's rage is consuming her rational mind and she's closing in on her limits. She tries to quell it with deep breathes and thought of how to coax it out of Vaggie without her turning defensive.

Speaking of the salvadorian, it was already 7:30 but Vaggie was a no show. Their food was served in a bit and it would be a shame if it turned stale cold. She sends out a usual Charlie text message so as not to raise suspicion and waited for a reply . Eyes on her phone, mind drifting to questions she could possibly ask. Her ears were entertained by the music inside the restau to not notice the pitter patter of boot heels and was startled when the chair before her was pulled creating a small squeaky noise and the beautiful and decietful visage of her lover came to view.

  
  
" Vaggie! I'm so glad you're finally here! I thought I'd get grey hair before I could see you! Hi! "

Try as she may the words came out forced. She just hoped it wouldn't be noticed. She tugged her lips upward it almost hurt her cheeks. 

" Sorry, I had a few case files to review, Hun. But I'm all yours for the entire evening since the court was done with the session" 

' _Session with Antonio you mean?'_

Screamed a furious thought in Charlie's head as she kept up a shammed facade. 

" Is this about the rapist's trial?" 

Charlie acted according to the mood of the small talk. Her fake hype lowered, her eyebrows furrowing rather pleasing her eternal fury. Not that she doesn't give a semblance of care for the victim, it's just she's so angry to focus on anything else. 

" Yes and I'm glad the hijo de puta have been proven guilty as charged"

' _Yeah, probably as guilty as you'_

Charlie's little enraged voice bellowed inwardly. Vaggie took a sip of the fine wine sitting before her while the blonde decided to not stare too much and sported the same manner. 

" I expected nothing less from my Attorney." 

Charlie reached out for her hand and intertwined their fingers together atop the table. Vaggie tensed up at the gesture. That's just how the guilty rolls. The blonde wanted to see a shame faced lover but then again, she can't whisk a confrontation right away. 

" I really missed you Hun. It felt like eternity with you gone for 2 months." 

" I missed you too Vaggie. It was not the same without you around. I wished you were there for vacation purposes and such but then your schedule was packed." 

' _Packed with Antonio'_

" I've been sloppy and sleep in too much in France. I even wake up mid afternoon often missing both breakfast and lunch" 

The blonde blurted out her eating habits and sheepishly giggled for the sake of an innocent chat. Out of instinct, Vaggie flashed her a nagging stare similar to an uptight mom. 

" What? You knew that was going to get you sick right? Do I need to remind you to eat at least three times a day? Dios mio, you're no longer a child Charlie" 

" I-I know and I'm really sorry!" 

The blonde wasn't all that apologetic, Vaggie had no right to start telling her when to eat now. She's a grown up and she can do whatever she wants. Charlie had a few more rants up her head but put a lid on it. Speaking of meals, she withdrew her hand from Vaggie to fix her attention on the main course, the nice juicy steak she's been eyeing a while ago. The brightness on her eyes returned, imagining how the rich, tender juices would melt in her mouth. 

" God, I think I'm famished. Let's eat yeah? " 

She comically gripped the knife and dinner fork mimicking the hungry kitty cat from one of her favorite cartoons. Was that Jeremiah and Thomas? She could no longer recall. When she noticed Vaggie was spacing out, she quirked a brow

"Hello? Hello to earth Vaggie? Hey, why aren't you touching your food? Oh dear, you dont like the steak? We could order--" 

The silence that stretched between them did not go unnoticed and her voice seem to snap Vaggie back. 

" I-I'm fine, Hun" 

Vaggie had an uncharacteristic squeak. It wasn't so weird to Charlie. A distort in a voice is a liar's nervous tick. 

" So how's it going with your relatives in France?"

Vaggie seemed thoroughly nervous , gripping the silverware far too hard it caused her knuckles to visibly go pallid as she asked. Her squared shoulders, quivering smile and sweating forehead struck Charlie as curious and the salvadorian had began to fan her face with her hand. 

" It's getting quite hot in here don't you think?" 

It was freezing inside the restaurant. But Charlie played along like the sweet lover that she is. 

" We could ask the staff to adjust the room temperature here if you like" 

" Oh that wont be necessary, Hun, I'll just..."

Vaggie removed her purple dress coat leaving her white v-neck sleeveless dress and olive skin exposed. She took time to fold her coat. Charlie just decided to respond to her question about her family , resisting to eye roll to herself at her abrupt admiration of Vaggie's raw beauty. Those straight brown tresses cupping her face and that gorgeous skin were slowly melting the ice inside the blonde.

' _Does Antonio stop to admire those features too?'_

The hidden rage swirled back in action. 

" my relatives behave and appear like the usual. Gorgeous, workaholic and uptight. It's like they never aged! I don't know how they even keep it up. Whenever they walk in the room, their presence just scream: perfection!"

Vaggie seem to ease up herself and a pretty smile decorated her lips. 

" And let's not forget, very single, Charlie" 

Her date decided to add something to complete the entirety of the picture. Single. That's one powerful word to describe her relatives. And soon, Charlie will be too. The apple doesn't fall far from the trees. 

  
" Yeah! I just don't get it. My uncles and even my aunt don't seem to consider settling down."

Charlie began to get exasperated thinking about them. They are not getting young, they need heirs and they're rich enough to feed an entire continent.

" Well, with a baby worth a dozen such as yourself it's no wonder"

It was friendly jab from Vaggie. In the midst of her chuckles, Charlie had a more genuine response.

" Hey! I'm not that bad!"

" Says the one who watches nothing but cartoons"

The two snorted and Vaggie began to visibly relax. There was another round of silence that stretched and Charlie began to think about her options. Does she ask about Antonio now? No, she needs to prolong things a bit more to the point that Vaggie would let her guard down completely. 

" I attended Seviathan's engagement party by they way"

The blonde wanted nothing more than to slap herself. Is there really no other topic to discuss?

" The Seviathan von Eldritch? Your high-school sweetheart ?"

Vaggie meant that as a tease

" Re-gret-ful-ly "

Every syllable uttered was taken out on her dinner until it was pulverised. She imagined the name Antonio and not Seviathan though. Charlie's embittered

"How did it go?"

The blonde rolled her eyes. That motion was finally satisfied for the evening.

" like he never changed. With the trademark lime green, and that dull and arrogant attitude. He's still full of himself, Vaggie. He managed to snag Octavia by the way."

" Wait, wasn't she your wing woman of sorts before?"

"yeah and so was Helsa. With some crazy turn of events they both actually turned their backs on me. I presumed it was only Helsa. She wasn't so subtle on Senior year but Octavia was one good actor. I didn't know they actually conspired to bring down my dignity on Prom night until Aunt Gabe revealed everything to me after the party. They'd get deceiving retards for children, I tell you "

' _The same could be said to Antonio's spawn too.'_

Charlie snickered, laced with sarcasm and a humorless laugh at her own tiny little voice.

" But over-all, I enjoyed my stay. I had ample time in my hands to waste on horse back riding with Uncle Mike, Rafa and Aunt Gabe. Thank you Vaggie for dragging me to that plane. But next time not with me in pj's please?! I stuck like a sore thumb in there! "

The couple began to uncontrollably chortle at the shared memory. Charlie had a hoaxed version but she was glad she could keep it up. And then her own guilt crept up her spine.

She fell ill weeks ago. The doctor insisted full rest and relaxation. It was stress that shut her down but they both knew it wasn't suppose to be told as such. It was something more. Something she's suppose to tell Vaggie. 

" You're always welcome, honey"

Vaggie addressed her tenderly. Charlie's smiling lips was about to give in as her girlfriend's loving hands enveloped her own. She threw the unceasing thoughts of Martinito Antonio for a moment to just cherish the touch.

The blonde stole a quick glance on her lap, the brown folder in place. This is it, before she confronts Vaggie she had to come clean herself. No more hiding. She adjusted her hands so she could support both of Vaggie's palms and leaned down to kiss her knuckles. Charlie stayed like that for a good few seconds and only gazed at the back of her Vaggie's smooth hands. It might just be her last.

" Listen Vaggie, I have something to tell you..."  
  


Charlie pulled away, removed her fingers and looked straight to Vaggie's brown eyes. The gaze might have been too sharp as even the strong willed Vaggie shied and glanced at the blonde's empty plate.

" Charlie I have something to tell you too. But please go on ahead and spill I'm all ears "

Vaggie took short glances at her every now and then as she took more bites of what's left of her own plate.

" Is that the reason why you arranged this date out of the blue?"

Charlie pretended to tilt her head to the side out of sheer wonder. Deep down, she can sense Vaggie might just crack her own lies too. Things make sense why the busy Lawyer texted her to agree upon a hasty date. When they go out, Vaggie would give at least a two day allowance. The guilt must be overflowing out of the cup then. Velvet's visit was one of the few signs too. The family is getting impatient

" Well, yes, Hun"

" I think you should go first then babe!"

Charlie must admit she's getting on the edge and would like a few extra seconds to relax at the last minute.

" No, I think I'd like for you to go first"

They were just about to debate over something so silly

"Okay, how about we settle for rock, paper and scissors!"

Chalie suggested. It will be a long winding spiral before they could get things over with if they held a debate. Vaggie had won the childish game easily. Charlie stared at her expectantly as Vaggie cleared her throat.

" Charlie?"

She tried to articulate her name with as much love as she could muster. But no way will Charlie be decieved into calming down. Any moment and the truth will be revealed and light will be shed upon this Martinito Antonio Ragno-Rocci

" Yes? "

Charlie cocked an eyebrow and smiled to encourage her to go on.

" There's this story that happened 8 years ago but I still can't forget it. Out of all the diners I have ever met, I must say in my history of waiting tables in this restaurant so long ago, I never ever encountered a girl who could not only spill wine by accident but also flip 30 tables in a single second, literally!"

Charlie laughed out loud and shook her head.

' _What is this? Some sort of a prologue?'_

" Oh god, why are you reminding me this Vaggie? "

" Honey, the clean up was hard."

" Hey, I already apologised for that"

"But it was rewarding when you left your phone that afternoon and the rest was history. And that lead us to what we are and where we are today. And today is my everything. You'll always be my everything "

Charlie's heart practically jumped out her rib cage to see Vaggie stand up from her seat and on her kness before her in a flash. She did not see this coming at all!

' _Oh god, oh, god, she's proposing!!!'_

Butterflies threatened to rush out and inflict a gaping hole on her stomach. There was a reason behind her Aunt Gabriella's insistence about the spectacle happening before her eyes. How could Charlie forget, Gabe has a knack to frequently attend to details.

" I love you with all my heart and you know that. Charlotte Magne? Will you please do the honor of becoming my wife?"

Charlie's mouth hung open, tears immediately sprinkled down her rosy cheeks and sobbed out loud. It wasn't the gesture, nor the sweet gazes Vaggie gave her that overwhelmed her to a mess but the ring inside the box Vaggie had produced.

It was no ordinary ring but a ring passed on from generation to generation to come within an ancient clan. Her mother was given a ring with the genuine crest of the Magne family everytime her father repeatedly proposes so Charlie knows that much. She can also tell the faux ones since her step mother owns one.

Is Charlie that worth it to Vaggie's eyes?

Is Charlie worth abandoning a clan still standing to this day?

Is Charlie worth the insult it will give to Vaggie's forefathers?

Will Charlie ever be accepted?

But more importantly, is turning Vaggie's back from everything, even her headship to her clan worth a dying woman?

Will Charlotte Magne be ready enough to cause Vagatha Quintovilla's undoing if so?

What can Charlie give in return when there's no future waiting for a walking corpse.

Love?

How selfish. How selfish when love is not suppose to be. Charlotte Magne have been selfish the exact moment she yearned to do nothing but tackle Vaggie in a hug and sing a resounding 'yes' at the top of her lungs. And then what? Leave Vaggie forever with nothing but scars?

The blonde stayed seated and sobbing as she cried tears that Vaggie assumed were of joy. Unbeknownst to her, they were droplets of grief. When the blonde finally said something, the salvadorian clearly almost had a heart attack with the way she held back her breath.

" That's such a beautiful ring...I don't even know if it will fit my fingers nor will it suit me... "

Charlie addressed it fondly, speaking from the heart to Vaggie's ancestors, soothing them, telling them she's indeed in love.

" I only know one thing... "

More tears cascaded down Charlie's downcast eyes with what she began to say next

"It is something that I do not deserve..."

Vaggie casted her a gaze of chaotic shock.

" Wh-what do you mean... Exactly?"

"I can't marry you Vaggie... I'm sorry..."

With that , Charlie grabbed her phone, secured the folder to her chest and started marching out the restaurant. She left Vaggie frozen where she kneeled, stunned for several seconds. She had a good lead but Vaggie was agile enough to block her path to the door.

"Charlie, did I do something wrong? "

The salvadorian attempted to reach out but Charlie took a step back, afraid that if Vaggie so much as touch her, she might change her mind.

She's afraid to please her self-centric side, snake her arms around Vaggie and tell her it was just a silly prank to test the waters and give a good scare.

Afraid to please the love of her life, only to hurt her in the end, to have her wake up to a world where Charlie's no longer around. Afraid Vaggie will loose her entire family because of a dying woman.

" No, it's not you Vaggie. I am to be blamed"

"Charlie...Charlie please... Just tell me what's wrong..."

Vaggie's voice cracked, heartbroken.

But Charlotte Magne kept a straight face and spoke the words that will seal her love forever.

She's in love so she will let go

" Because I no longer love you and I am with someone else. "

She built a stony facade upon her face

" I've been unfaithful... So I cannot take that ring..."

Her head hung low

"Goodbye, Vagatha..."

It was a stab on Vaggie's heart for sure but Charlie rather see her married off and stay with her family even if it's shattering the belle to pieces. Vaggie appeared downtrodden as Charlie hurriedly passed her but a shadow was upon the woman's face. She refused to relent and grabbed hold of the blonde's wrist. Charlie clutched the folder tight and did not dare look back 

" Who is he, Charlie? "

The first name that popped in her head within the sea of many names she can think of was given out in barely a whisper  
  


" His name is Alastor..."  
  


When the hold loosened, Charlie walked out the door. The vallet was able to spot her and gave her, her keys. He had a hint of concern at the sobbing woman as she went off to the parking lot, started her ride's engine and fled the premises. Her sniffles and wails inside the roaring vehicle muffled the ear splitting boom of fireworks coloring the starry night sky overhead.

  
  


**◦◎✺◎◦**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh god, this is it. The story is about to start this winding ride. A silly winding ride that my silly little mind thought of. I hope I satisfied you my dear readers. Im sorry if you cringed as you read. 
> 
> Hope you like the doodles too. They're found at twitter by the way just visit @krinclem if you want more
> 
> I don't know if I characterised Velvet well here. All I know is that she's pretty crazy and a selfie addict.


	4. Love no more

Vaggie could do nothing but watch Charlie take off. She stood by the open doorway clenching her fists in accord to the boiling in her bloodstream. At that second she thought she was played a fool , baring vulnerability like that and trusting Charlie like she did through the years. How long has her affair with this, this Alastor been going? How could Charlie hurt her this way? Walking out like that, stepping on her heart like dirt.

She was seething for a moment before a startling blast of a fireworks display caught her off guard. Her eyes had inexplicable bitterness at the grandiose sight. And to flare up her temper, the leader of the IMP rushed to her direction and Blitzo shaked her hand with a grin from cheek to cheek

"Congratulations on your engagement Miss Vagatha! We shall have the video ready in three days time once we retrieve all the cameras and edit the clips! Now we should start going over the wedding reception. You wanted to be a winter bride right?! December is right around the corner! Do not fret, we have gown stylists at the ready and professional wedding decorators! The month you've chosen is perfect for the sculptured ice too! Everything is falling perfectly to pieces. Rejoice! Wait where's the future missus? She's gonna miss the fireworks display just for her! "

Blitzo paused and waltzed inside the establishment.

" She must be overwhelmed with joy and cried her heart out at the cubicles! "

Millie was clearing up the dishes and told a disheartened statement

" She said No"

" What?! This is bad for business! Are you sure?!"

Vaggie couldn't bear to stay in there and trudged down the streets ignoring the chilly air of a November evening that sent her warning goosebumps of an unpleasant walk.

She needs to keep her mind off things and fast before she does something stupid. But what? She could hear Blitzo from a distance but shook it off. She didn't feel like dealing with what comes out of that man's mouth. Can't he take a hint?!

Suddenly she hears the sound of scurrying feet rushing towards her direction

"Miss Vagatha!"

Called out Moxxie

Vaggie did not reply and broke into a sprint, tears streamed down her eyes. She's not gonna be holding a conversation right now or maybe for a long time. She just wants to be alone. When Moxxie persisted, she turned around and planted a strong fist on his cheek. Her knuckles bled from the brute force and his back collided harshly on the ground. Millie came rushing, pushing Vaggie back with such impact that she stumbled and scraped her elbow on concrete. She growled in pain.

" What's wrong with you?! Just because your girlfriend broke it off doesn't mean you have the right to go around hurting people!!!"

Millie snarled at her and helped her husband up.

" Moxxie!!! Are you alright?!"

Vaggie was motionless for a moment, biting back a sob and was about to pounce at Millie, seeing nothing but red however when she side glanced at the couple and saw her coat and the ring box in Moxxie's palms, there was self-reproach. They came to return them. Millie snatched the items from Moxxie when he was able to stand properly and the enraged wife threw the ring box straight at Vaggie's nose, followed by her purple dress coat. Her arms caught it out of reflex and that managed to cushion her phone inside, the ring box wasn't so lucky. 

" You're too hot headed! Maybe that's why she left you!"

Millie exclaimed as she checked Moxxie's bruised cheek and bleeding mouth. The two left Vaggie groaning with a nosebleed. Blood dripped on the coat in her arms and down to the white dress she meticulously hand picked for the night but she simply couldn't care less. She let the hot red liquid gush out as her vision darted on asphalt remembering the ring but only found the box that nestled it.

A surge of scarifying thoughts overtook her. The ring must have rolled away the time its encasement had skidded roughly on the ground. She blanched in terror forgetting her fractured heart (and nose) for a moment to pat around and search for it. Her Mama entrusted that 600 year old clan heirloom, she couldn't afford to loose it. It's her only memory of the woman.

> " _Vagatha... Take care of it and slip it only on the fingers of the soul that will own your heart. One day you'll give this to your heirs and to the next. This ring bears every bit of the love I could give just as much as your ancestors poured theirs"_

" Where are you? Where are you?"

Helpless calls escaped her trembling lips. She craned her neck from side to side, crawling on the ground for a feel of the rounded object under the dim lights of the street lamps.

" Mama, I can't find it...No, no... "

And then a faint shimmer seemingly replied. The ring was a few inches away beckoning her with its presence. She sobbed and caged it in her palms. In a bit, the ring returned to its box and Vaggie sighed in relief. She straightened herself and her mind drifted back to Millie's words.

They had cut too deep.

Has she become too much for Charlie's patience that's why she fell in the arms of another? Is this Alastor better than her? Does he tell her she's beautiful every single day? Hold her, kiss her. Protect her? Tell her he loves her any chance he'd get?

But does Vaggie still even do so?

Was Vaggie that doting come an opportunity she could latch on?

Her form was standing glued in place

She felt the absolute worst. She needs a drink.  
  


✺✥◦☬◦✥✺  
  


Charlie packed her belongings, prioritising her medicine box followed by the dagger case in which she fitted in her undergarments. The weapon will occupy her tote bag. Clothing of her choice that consisted more of pants, shirts, sleep wear and tuxes were arranged in haste along with a single red dress. She puts in towels, a small make-up case, her hair curler, boxes of soap and lotion. She chose three sets of shoes to stash and zipped the trolley shut.

She padded out of the walk-in closet and stripped her dress leaving her in black laced panties. She made way to the bathroom and picks up a syringe containing a transparent substance from a small marble table beside her shower door.

She took a shot of the pain killer on her arm, wincing a bit and grabs a small piece of cotton from the medicine cabinet just above the table. She placed it on her bleeding arm and the syringe was disposed onto the trash bin. The cotton followed suit

She began to dismantle her unmentionables. And gets a hold of the shears inside the cabinet. She reached the bathroom's oval mirror 5 feet away from the shower door and commenced with cutting her hair nape length. Her golden locks dropped to the floor which Charlie simply ignored. She's feeling far too weary from crying to care.

She took a hot shower later and got dressed in a black skin tight pants, white shirt, brown boots and garbed herself with a black dress coat to ward off the cold waiting for her later at 2:00 am.

A silver laptop tucked in a small drawer at the wooden side of her large bed was pulled out. She settled it on her study table across the bed, pressed the start button and it lit to life. The pen and a piece of paper upon the flat surface of the baby pink table were in Charlie's hands as she scribbled

' **LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT'**  
  


✺✥◦☬◦✥✺  
  
  


Vaggie hiccuped as she blundered, barely up her feet to wobble herself inside her office. She waved around her wine glass and the bottle of heavy drink, tip toeing like a sprightly fae. A bloodied fae with run down mascara and shaggy brown hair.

"Time to get to work~!!!"

She giggled and sing sang her way in. The fragile objects in her possesion were slammed on her table before she made way to her chair, dropping herself unceremoniously and almost toppling it down. Seating herself properly was a struggle as she thrashed around to find a better sitting position. She managed to seat as normally as a drunk would and took a swig of the bottle directly.

She was beaming of happiness until she saw a framed picture of Charlie on her table. She cursed out in her own tongue, threw it and the godforsaken ornament shattered against the wall.

A small squeaking noise echoed from the corridors and the cleaning lady entered the scene.

" Oh my gosh! Is the ghost really real?! Oh! It's just you Prosecutor Vagatha!!! You look terrible!!! Oh oh my!!!! No! No! No no!"

Quick on her feet, the small lady swept Vaggie's mess all the way inside the dust pan she's armed every single day. The Prosecutor's blurry vision could barely make out the red head but upon recognition, Vaggie giggled

" Nifty!!! What are you doing here so late in the evening?!"

" I could say the same for you! I'm here doing overtime because I wont be around next week!!!"

Nifty dusted all the frames inside the office

"And the week after!"

She swept the entire floor

"And the week after!!!"

She ferociously mopped the tiles until she could see her reflection on it. Vaggie 's hooded eyes followed her every movement as she took a gulp of her drink  
  
  
  


" You see, Prosecutor, I'm attending a wedding! It's actually really really special because two of my best buddies are joining hands in holy matrimony! I have to be around in case Miss Mimzy decide on a giant feast! The mansion would be filthy!!! Far too filthy for her honeymoon. You know Mimzy Barnes right? She's a singer and she's pretty famous! Oh god your dress is dirty!!! Let me wash it for you!!!"

The red head fisted on her skirt, screeching and dragging Vaggie down slightly. The prosecutor latched her fingers on the table for balance and replied

" I'm fine!!! Go on!!! "

Truth be told, the drunk did not catch any of that. She's only hearing random buzzes but tuned in anyway except for the last part, she heard it loud and clear. She quite liked the comfy dishevelled dress to let it go for the night.

" Anyway! There's also the bachelorette party!!! And the bachelor's party!!! So many places to clean!!! It's sooo exciting!!! Not to mention the isle!!! The isle would have plenty of mess! Oh! Look at the time!!! It's 2:30 am!!! Gotta go! I need to catch my plane to Louisiana!!! Mister **Alastor** might request my services at the radio station too considering he's busy with the wedding preparations!!! There's also Miss Rosie's Emporium!!! Have a nice evening Prosecutor!!! "

The bouncing girl fled the premise as fast as a bursting bubble. Vaggie thought the chat was some sort of hallucination. She shrugged and sipped on her drink then grimaced to find it empty.

All alone, she swirled along her swiveling chair. The ceiling fell to a blur, she closed her eyelids sporting a goofy smile in her high until

> " _I no_ _longer love you and I am with someone else. "_

She took a hard stop, bumping on one of the walls.

" Love..."

> " _I still got paper work to do at 9:00 and a flight to catch bound for Louisiana at 3:00 am."_

The drunken woman mumbled.

" Louisiana... Alastor... You're going to him..."

She snarled. Her mind was a jumbled mess, clearly hammered but her resolve burning bright.

Is she going to give up just like that?  
  


✺✥◦☬◦✥✺  
  
  


Charlie double checked her wrist watch and stifled a yawn. She clutched her red tote bag's sling. Her trolley was already boarded in her plane. She was strolling towards Gate 6, careful to dodge the sea of co-travellers. She's glad she wasn't sandwhiched in as she neared the gate.  
  


✺✥◦☬◦✥✺  
  


Vaggie sobered up a little and stumbled out of her building. She whistled long and hard at a taxi and ran as fast as an athlete could sprint on mud to catch it. The woman managed to slip in and commanded the driver to head for the airport.  
  


✺✥◦☬◦✥✺  
  


There was a queue and Charlie waited in line for her turn to board  
  


✺✥◦☬◦✥✺  
  


The airport wasn't all that far and Vaggie dashed inside in no time. The populace in the area made way for her, screeching at a bloodied woman. One of the guards set his vision at the rabid trespasser and called for a security team.

✺✥◦☬◦✥✺  
  


Charlie gave her ticket to the stewardess  
  


✺✥◦☬◦✥✺

Vaggie coincidentally landed her wild gaze at Gate 6 and spotted familiar goldilocks in bob cut curls. No matter the length, it's color is as radiant as the sun to not be recognised. Many times she's ran her fingers on them that each strand betrayed their run away Princess

✺✥◦☬◦✥✺

Charlie got inside the cabin and took her seat at the economy class section.

✺✥◦☬◦✥✺

Vaggie dashed for Gate 6. The stewardess blocked her asking for her ticket. She was about to squeeze past but the guards siezed her up

✺✥◦☬◦✥✺

Charlie put her earphones on

✺✥◦☬◦✥✺

" CHARLIE!!!!"

Vaggie screamed all the while the security team man handle her away from the Gate.

✺✥◦☬◦✥✺  
  


Hard pop rock pounded on Charlie's ears. Her vacant eyes stared straight ahead. She paid no mind to the troubled gazes of the passengers hearing the commotion just out the plane cabin.

✺✥◦☬◦✥✺

Vaggie was dragged away back towards the entrance whence she came

✺✥◦☬◦✥✺

The plane began it's ascend to the sky.

Charlie sat still. There's no turning back now.

✺✥◦☬◦✥✺

Vaggie's lithe but stout arms pushed back both of the guards and ran out the passenger 's area to the peril of the plane run way. She chased the airplane with all a high heeled intoxicated woman's might.

" CHARLIE!!!!"

She lost her footing and crashed grazing the skin on her knees. She spouted curses as her head tilted up towards the sky

Her love no more.

  
  
  
**◦◎✺◎◦**   
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the start of Vaggie's crazy. I hope you guys were comfortable with how I wrote this chapter!


	5. A glimpse of a Spider's den

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another chappie. I'm quite nervous about this one since I'm writing three of the most comical characters in Hazbin and I dont know if I caught their flare enough to pass up as more than OK. I hope you'd enjoy this nonetheless. Forgive me for messing up in advance x'D
> 
> I also tried my best with the humor. Figured I need to make something fun to lessen the depressing parts at the earlier chapters and the ones to follow

The constant morning sun gradually casted it's blinding rays upon the concrete cityscape of Naples, Italy. A chilly fog still had it's unforgiving coil on the streets and alleyways that will not recede until a full grip of glorious heat envelope the urban areas by mid morning. But Cherry, a voluptuous spunk, traipsed the vacant streets like strolling on a scorching beach.

Her outfit left nothing to the imagination. The torn red crop top could hardly cover the black bra underneath and her red denim short shorts displayed a considerable amount of flawless long legs. Mismatched black and red sandals were her toes' only protection from the bite of the frigid morning air but her lip glossed lips had that smile as she got a brief taste of her whiskey bottle as if the cold causing her gooseflesh remained non existent in her stupor.

She walked past a cathedral with an elegant fountain of an Archangel erect before its facade. The woman paid it no mind until she saw a lone hooded figure tossing a coin in it's flowing water.

When what she recognised as an old man left the area, an idea struck her and scooped out a handful of coins that took refuge within St. Michael's fount grounds. The woman snickered, gulped down the whiskey in one swig and tossed the coins in the now empty bottle one by one, filling it to the brim. She's gonna go crash in the arcades with her best pal later and a few pennies would come in handy. She adjusted the strap of her back pack clinging on one shoulder and carried her loot on one hand effortlessly by the bottle's neck. It weighed like a muffin to her, nothing she can't handle. 

She swinged her arms in merry and before she knew it she had reached a tunnel that lead to the the front gates of her intended destination. It was a golden double gate with the crest of a spider. Scanners from up above shot light beams on her body, she took a few steps back, startled. The clutches of alcohol slowly dissipated from her head as the green rays travelled from her head to toe and a dismembered voice spoke. 

" Name: Isabella " Cherry Bomb" Kelly

Age: 25

Status: It's Complicated

Purpose: Visit" 

A short click followed and a small gate by her right opened. She entered the opening and hiked up a sloping road leading to an impressive estate of white walls having spiders for gargoyles and pillars festooned by cobweb-like vines. 

" Holy shit! " 

Well tended bushes from all around greeted her and some of the Italian gardeners already up and about looked on warily. They had glares on their eyes and spoke on their own tongue, cutting some of the hedges in audible snaps. Cherry was far too flabbergasted to notice, her jaw dropping as her feet took her to the front door. A maid came rushing to her, spoke Italian which frankly the Aussie did not understand. Thankfully, the servant gestured for her to follow and climb up a winding staircase inside the house. A double door made of burgundy mahogany with the same spider crest at the gates was where she was dropped by the scullery attendant. 

Cherry was wide eyed feeling out of place until she heard faint moaning from the other side of the intricate door. That's when she got off her unbridled wonder and slammed the double doors open. She caught her pal reclining on a double seater couch, his head directed straight to the porn playing on a giant TV screen with his plump pet pig , Fat Nuggets, upon his naked lap. He fed the swine with popcorn and groaned out 

"Roberta! chiudi a chiave la porta!" 

He was irked however, upon hearing Cherry's all too familiar snicker, he bolted upright, craned his head to the doorway and grinned at his expected guest. He gently settled his pig down the carpeted floor and shouted out 

" Sugar Tits!" 

"Nice to see ya too, mate!!!" 

The two met halfway in a hug, Angel was nearly toppled down by one of the beer bottles that littered the floor but got a steady footing back. 

" I missed ya!!!" 

He buried his face on the voluminous highlighted blonde hair of his visitor. 

" I missed ya too bitch! Thought you up and died or some shit!" 

Cherry replied pressing her forehead on the crook of his neck. They parted in a second as marvel engulfed her eyes. 

" Dang! I didn't see this coming at all !!!" 

Cherry laughed in amazement, her sights upon the paintings up the ceiling.

" What? Ya' thought ma' fam livin' in a cave or somethin?"

Angel lightly snickered as Cherry landed cross legged on one of the couches in the room running a finger on the smooth, plushed furniture of ebony. Her bag and the bottle of coins seated beside her as she rested her back, sighing in content. The seat beside her dipped when Angel joined her, an arm slung on the back rest

" If I were you and had a home this big, I probably wouldn't settle for that cramped sex house in Las Vegas. Why'd you move out anyway? This is the life! "

Cherry raised both arms in the air, pointing at every direction the eye could see in the room. 

" Once upon a time Pop's have been gifted by twin daughters. Well, one and a half of a daughter. The other one has a dick, well ya get my drift. And he been pesterin' with the whole 'man up' thing on me"

Angel rolled his eyes 

" He kept spouting bullshit and it blows out my whole sexy persona! The old fart wouldn't miss me when I'm gone anyway, gotta make use of this flawless body to those who want it more than a punching bag wouldn't ya think? "

He ran a manicured finger upon his long, skinny, fair legs as a loopsided grin platered itself on his face. It disappeared with a scowl after 

" Besides! It was sooo boooring in this house! The fun got spit out by the prude and his son! "

Cherry glanced at the sex tape being played on television and chortled

" Usually you're a man of action! Something tells me things haven't changed in the house at all! Ya lonely here?!" 

Angel's hooded eyes didn't spare the machine a glance as he got the remote out of his sleeping robe, turning it off with a disgruntled sigh 

" Like bored outta my mind! All the staff here are a bunch of harlequin, wet blanket, babies! Can't find anyone fun enough for a good time! Well there was one but most of 'em don't even stop for a chat! Don't feel like roamin the city either. Got it memorised like the back of ma' hands! Nothing's ever new!" 

" Sucks to be you! I was partyin while you're here sulking! "

He ran his fingers through his pink hair followed by a pout of complaint, feeling he's missed out with all the fun. Then a random idea crossed his mind to alleviate the insatiable boredom 

"Come lemme show ya around! " 

Angel sounded esctatic, the pink faux furred robe draping his shoulder was properly worn to cover his bare chest and pink stripped shorts. He stood and Cherry eagerly followed. They strolled out the room as Angel gestured to the hallways with white walls and elegant black trims 

" This area right here was where me and Arackniss used to play chase as brats. The loser gets a toe nail removed!" 

" Pft! Seriously?!" 

"It was crazy! But it's the only thing that kept us entertained. Pops bury us with books about fire arms all the time! And I don't do readin'. Niss can tolerate it but even he has his limits." 

They passed the area and reached a wooden bannister at the end of the long hallway. It bordered an elevated structure that gave an abundant view of a ballroom. There was a grand chandelier of sparkling crystals hanging several feet off the taciturn dance floor that faced them. There were many others but Angel made a comment on that particular one

"And that chandelier over there is my lifeline whenever 'Niss closes in. I jump right at it and hang around till night fall. The blue nose can get pretty stubborn. Sometimes I end up camping over there for two days! And he watches. WATCHES! " 

The hanging structure was at least a 7 feet leap off the wooden railings. Cherry's mouth was agape for a moment 

" That's so fucked up! How old were you?! "

" Oh I was 6. Was a bit of jumper. But it got pretty useful to this day. Gotta thank 'Niss for that"

" What if you wanted to piss?" 

" That's when the maids come in. Prepared buckets." 

Cherry choked on her own spit, probably imagining how that would transpire as she chuckled. Angel began to recall that one time when his mother had a ball hosted and he got suspended up there for the whole evening because of a last minute tag with a furious older brother. He couldn't hold it in and peed his pants while dinner was ongoing down the ballroom. Anyone could guess what happened next. He couldn't say it out loud to Cherry no matter how close they were, it was far too embarrassing. Good thing Molly wasn't around to spill the beans. 

They evidently moved towards an adjacent hallway leading to an open living room with baby blue couches. There were yellow curtains that decorated at least 5 tall windows leading to a balcony and a forest of red maple trees beyond. 

"This area here is my Pop's escape route whenever Ma takes out the shot gun. See that window over there?" 

Angel pointed at the one in the middle with its wooden white trims having light brown splinters. Its glass was still intact thanks to constant tending by the servants but it clearly seen better days. 

" That's Pop's favorite window" 

Somehow, deep down , Angel's glad the staff did not remove the trims after fixing up the glass. Every bullet hole carried far too many great memories of love, action and drama packed in one. It would be a shame to have them discarded, he thought to himself. 

"Your folks were pretty crazy. Not that mine is any different." 

Cherry went off to inspect the hollows on the fine wood

"Yeah, one time they argued about stews I think. Suddenly the talk went down to who would take custody of the children. Could never understand adults. Ma was aiming for his head but Pops was quick on his feet and crashed on that window. Ma never misses a shot but surprisingly all her bullets get stuck on it. " 

After several details about how Henroin would cower in his mother's iron grip, they continued on the tour reaching a hall gallery full of portraits. Cherry had her cinnamon eyes jump from picture to picture. Her form swaying with every step from both curiosity and intoxication. There were several pictures of Angel, Arackniss and Molly in their early teens. 

" Is that your mom?" 

She paused in front of a giant portrait of a woman garbed in a maroon ballgown. Her ash blonde hair was in soft curls and her orbs had a hint of mischief mirroring Angel's very own set.

A look so rare upon Angel displayed itself on his face. The gentle sort. 

"Yep. That's my ol' Ma. Glad she croaked early before things got fucked up with Pops. She ain't deservin' to die on any of those turf wars. She's pretty skilled but she yaps about how it should protect and not kill" 

Cherry caught Angel's softening smile, devoid of naughtiness he often show and she can't help but comment 

" You miss her don't you? "

Angel blinked and his default, obnoxious countenance barreled back with a couple of giggles 

" Ya kiddin? Course not! Don't know whose worser than her and Pops. They both got loose screws in the heads in varying angles!" 

Angel covered the traces of vulnerability straight away as he gave off his snide remarks about Arackniss when they chanced upon an image of him pushing a 10 year old Angel down a crocodile pond. And another one but it was an anaconda's den. 

" Dang! What a sadistic prick!" 

Cherry crossed her arms, a smallish crease was on her face. 

" I know right! I swear when we see each other in hell it will be payback time! I'm really pissed off at the fact that I wasn't the one who blew his brains out!" 

Before Cherry could suggest putting a firecracker on Arackniss' meal in the afterlife, one of the biddies came over a second later announcing breakfast in her meek Italian. The mention of food had Cherry salivating all of a sudden as if a switch have been flicked and had her realising she quite like a meal after some good booze. 

" Fuckin finally! I'm hungry as fuck! 

Cherry had a huge toothy grin as she chased the maid.

" Show me the table!!! "

The poor thing ran off, shouting prayers in Italian as if the Aussie would swallow her for the morning meal. Angel followed after, brimming of mirth. It's probably the second best action he had since he arrived in the house. All of the maids were monotonous, to see one sprinting for her life was enjoyable. They left the girl alone when the lamb lead them to a large dining room. Delicious vegetable soup, pastries and lattes awaited their starving guts. 

" had no appetite so got chockers of beer for the last two days! Gotta put some real food in ma system!" 

Commented Cherry, taking a seat and slurping the soup in one gulp, bread rolls followed. The mischievous pair morphed to an uncharacteristic silence afterwards, since Angel was no different. Hunger assaulted his senses, something the liquor in his system couldn't settle. After their stomachs were stuffed, Cherry went off for a toilet appointment , relying on Angel's short direction that was yelled out as she took a quick exit

The pinkette was nursing on his mug of cafe latte, awaiting for her return, when his phone buzzed from his pocket. And gone was the confident front he places, evidently horror struck to see the caller. 

It was Valentino.

His hand tremored, threatening to drop the device on the empty glass bowl before him. He would have turned off his phone. The last thing he wanted was for Vox to get a trace of his whereabouts. And for extra measures, he was tempted to throw his cell at the window closest to the pond, plunge it into the water to cover his tracks. But it simply cannot be. Cold perspiration engulf every expanse of his lanky build, he was certain even if he resort to the extremes, Vox will still find him. He stayed shaking in fear, pressing the recieve and the other line responded in a low, relaxed but deadly tone. Valentino's voice hadn't lost sultriness even in his spite yet it sparked fear to new heights 

**☏ BIG VEE** : ' _Angel Cakes...'_

Angel felt a heavy lump on his throat 

"Hey Val, I can explain..." 

**☏ BIG VEE: '** _Bring me my money or I'll blow down Naples if I have to.'_

He had been right with his theory. Valentino got hold of his location. 

" I-I'll bring you the money, I swear! Just.. Just... give me a month! It's hard to get ahold of those sharks when they're far out sea! " 

There was silence at the other end but Angel could only imagine veins popping on the man's temples as a death grip gradually crack his phone to smithereens 

**☏ BIG VEE** : ' _You'll be far out sea in bits if you don't bring it out in a month.'_

Angel felt his windpipe loosen. Valentino still can be reasoned with fortunately. 

**☏ BIG VEE** : ' _you're lucky you're my top employee. Be in Manhattan next week, there's a valued customer waiting.'_

His boss hang up and Angel slumped on his seat. 

**"Fuck!"**

He cursed loudly, ignoring a servant's entrance

" Signore? "

' _shoulda gotten rid of it before I came here! Fuck it!'_

"Signore? " 

Was the maiden's persistent call

" What do you want Roberta?!" 

Angel lashed at the poor maid they had previously chased around. She could only squeak before giving out a loud stammer

" Si-signore! T-The british man is he-here! A-and I-I'm not Ro-Roberta! " 

Angel was both perplexed at the fact that she could speak English and she's not Roberta. He could have sworn he remembered the mouth that gave one hell of a blow job at the graveyards. But whatever, it was a one time thing. He was bored! and drunk! And Robina was nice enough to get him the roses and she had a fuckable face! And knockers big enough for his attention. 

He stared at the not-Rubia who scampered away like mice, passing a middle aged man garbed with a gray top hat and pinstripe suit. His straight black hair was tied in a loose ponytail and an eyebrow raised at the servant that almost bumped and creased his fine outfit. He brushed invisible dust off his clothing. At his entrance, Angel's eyes immediately drooped. The fretting knots on his belly coiled by Valentino's call slowly unwind and a taunting smile was directed to the man across the room. 

" Howdddyyy Daddy~" 

The new comer had a confused countenance on his face but adjusted his tie with one gloved hand. His back ramrod straight and held himself with much regality. The small brief case on his other hand was placed at the other end of the table as he cleared his throat 

" Greetings! Signore Ragno-Rocci" 

He bowed, keeping up the formalities trying to sound professional. Angel sported a look of disbelief when the man couldn't get a single clue of his tease. He was about to try ruffling his feathers but Cherry beat him to it as she jog in 

" Hey Angie! Whose the withering posh looking prick!" 

She exclaimed in her return. The man was taken aback and either Angel imagined it or his eyes were about to form slits 

"That's Sir Edward Pentious to you missy!" 

He hissed out, spitting venom in his voice. Cherry only laughed at his face 

"Whatever!" 

" He's the private investigator I hired Cherry"

Angel told her as he stood. The cup of latte in hand as he was about to move out the room, contented to see the man break his walls and get riled up. When they were first acquainted as per the family lawyer's suggestion, he had been nothing but a pompous, self-centered jerk. Angel was no different except he doesn't take formal shit, preferring a good load of profanities. Pentious became a subject of his tease after, making it a mission to see him explode, see how far that sugar coated mouth of his turn to an ugly heap of curses. 

" Ooh... Investigation for what?" 

Cherry was getting giddier by the minute at her wild curiosity. Angel sighed just thinking about what's gonna go down that morning. 

" You'll see" 

The three of them moved to a different room with Pentious struggling to keep his peeve in check. The handle of his brief case protesting in his tight grasp. They got inside a small area with only a squared table accompanied by four chairs and a flat screen television. Pentious placed his case on the table and opened it to get a black flash drive. After removing his top hat, settling it on one of the chairs, he inserted the drive on the TV

Angel made a small moaning noise as he slid it in. Pentious glared daggers at him, a blush powdering his cheeks. Cherry let out a snort as the two misfits took their seats. He directed his gaze on her and frowned

" If I may ask, what is that nutter close to starkers lil' miss doing here?" 

Angel did not like his tone of voice nor the slang aimed at his closest of pals. He decided to put Pentious in place. 

" She's goin to be the best woman, so she's here. And you better watch out what comes outta your mouth. It is my money that will feed ya so shut it" 

That clearly injured Pentious' pride. For a moment a murderous aura seeped out of his vibe but the investigator remained as dignified as before. Meanwhile, Cherry had a very puzzled brow, cocking. 

" Best woman, what?" 

" Here is the lead that we have of Vagatha Quintovilla"

Sir Pentious spoke in an even, bitter tone as he averted his attention from the two, he was a second close to clobbering Angel but he was smart enough to hold his temper. 

His fingers tapped on the TV screen and a video was flashed with two women standing in the middle of an office hallway. A fat woman came into focus and was talking to a rather skinny one with straight long brown hair. The latter had her back facing the clip while the former appeared troubled as she conversed. Angel narrowed his eyes at the fat woman. 

" Agata Who?"

Cherry glanced back and forth between Angel, Pentious and the screen. Dust gets a hold of Pentious' suitcase, unhooked the latches and hands in his father's accursed Last Will to Cherry.

His friend read the contents and tensed up in surprise. She scanned the whole thing over and over again. The investigator was about to resume what he had managed to dig up but Cherry degraded herself to a laughing mess halting him. 

" Pfft! Martinito Antonio?! Is this fuckin real?! Hahahahhahahaha. That name is so shitty kinda get why you changed your name! That can't be a stripper's name!!! Hahahhahahhaah!!! Ya go up introduce yourself as Martinito Antonio and your costumers would sag their nuts ! Totally gonna blow the whole pole dancing routine right down the drain hahhahahahah!!!! Unless you're trying to seduce women of course"

Angel shrugged

" Trust me it's better than Waldo"

Cherry began to add

" Or Douglas "

Angel and Cherry let out a chorus of booming chortles

" Hahahahh oh fuck! Hi babe, I'm Douglas, ca-call me Dougie, lemme get ya something to drink. Hahahha "

**"Arf! Arf!!!!"**

" **HAAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHH!!!"**

Sir Pentious' irritation turned to fury at the cackling pair it appeared as if raging veins were hovering up his head after being humiliated and then abruptly disturbed like that. He cleared his throat as loud as he could. Their laughs subsided in a bit for breath of air and he continued on his report.

" This is the only clip I could get my hands to of Vagatha Quintovilla "

Angel finally straightened up and concentrated on the _pig_ occupying the footage. A frown readily formed and his laughs were slapped off his face.

"That's seriously Vagatha?! She's ugly as fuck!"

Cherry still couldn't get over her high and a mortifying comment slid out her lips

"Dang! How are you gonna stick your dick in that without suffocating! "

Angel blanched and growled

" No way! What makes you say fucking some broad is a part of the fuckin Last Will deal!? "

Pentious was surprised when something a tad bit intelligent was uttered out by Cherry.

" Isn't it an unspoken rule of an arranged marriage? To give heirs to both fams and stuff ? It's to carry out the bloodline. What the hell would be another reason why you're married off? "

But those words couldn't cap the wrath thrashing in the investigator's thoughts. Once again he have been thwarted into finishing his findings with their loud yapping.

" fuck! I'm not fucking anyone! It's just some wedding I'm gonna attend, slip in the ring and inherit everythin. It's just marriage! Not like I'm gonna talk to her afterwards! "

Angel was sporting a foul mood but no way in the nine circles of hell would it encompass Pentious' pent-up rage since he stepped in the Ragno-Rocci threshold

" You whores have no class! Shut your mouths for a moment. The plump woman is not her! The one with the back facing the surveillance footage is Vagatha Quintovilla!!!"

Cherry and Angel piped down hearing an ear splitting outcry from him. For once the two graced him his much needed attention. He was so grateful that his anger steadily ebbed

The Aussie eyed Vagatha's backside and whistled. It wasn't as impressive as her own buns but it will do. Not too big and not too small either.

" Now that's more like it"

After Cherry's cat calls, Angel stared at the behind and can't help but bat an eye in approval. He's had good experience with a customer with the same body type before. He fucks men in general but sometimes women just pay up a generous amount. 

" And she's a Prosecutor in New York"

The normally perky duo had their shoulders slumped hearing that single word from Pentious and Angel inexplicably paled much as a corpse would

" Fuck! Angie! You're gonna have to seduce a fuckin lawyer! How ironic! Looks like you're getting a ticket straight to prison"

Cherry pointed at the screen in panic while it dawned on Angel how screwed he was. He usually enjoys a good banging but not this kind of shit. Oh no.

" Pictures of her have been protected by the State. But here's what we know. She ran away from El Salvador when she was 20 and got into a relationship with one Charlotte Magne a year later "

To add to Angel's elevating migraine, that one detail had sprung out of nowhere. Well, what can he expect? At least Vagatha is not married yet. That way it wouldn't be a pain luring her in.

" interesting! You've got competition Angie!"

Pentious had a victorious grin on his face seeing his novice of a _'boss'_ so down in the dumps at more of the nut case's remarks. He can't wait to see him cripple with more revelations he's yet to uncover.

" here's who you're up against. It's important to take note of this if you want a step closer into getting your riches."

He lifted a finger and swiped the screen to reveal a film of a racing game. A red car took a speedy lead and won a Grand Prix final held in France. As it stopped pass the finish line, a woman in a red helmet emerged. She removed the head gear and flaunted long, lustrous amount of sunshine tresses. The crowd went wild.

Cherry and Angel were numbstruck for a brief moment. The Aussie was debating whose prettier between her pal and the girl basking in confettis and climbing up a podium to raise a golden trophey up the air. Angel knew he's more attractive but this Charlotte must be a bigshot-- a person of Vagatha's standing will desire, realistically speaking. 

"Charlotte Magne is the sole heir of the Magne Empire. Daughter of Lilith and Lucifer Magne. Both parents died in a car crash ten years ago and since then she's been under the care of her relatives. But let us not dwell on that aspect, let's focus on her and Vagatha. According to my men, they are in a solid relationship for 7 years "

" Fuck! Seven fuckin years?! Angie right here only ever experienced being tied up once and that lasted a fuckin day! That Vagatha is obviously serious with relationships, I think you're really screwed big time Angie. Even if by some miracle she and this Charlotte break up, she won't agree on marrying you out of negotiations alone and you only have three months! "

Angel contemplated his next move on how to horde his riches but that only lead to one. The same conclusion he had the moment he laid eyes on the papers that sealed an unwanted destiny of damnation taking the form of a simple wedding vow.

"Ya said she's in New York? Where?"

" Manhattan"

" That's all I need to know"  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**◦◎✺◎◦**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end of the Chapter. I feel this excitement for the next update since Al will be making his appearance.


	6. Miss Li

_At first she was greeted by darkness. An abyss that stretched without end. For several moments everything was still but the silence was unnerving--cold and desolate._

_While to Charlie, tranquillity had a different ring--it had many colors and the most tender of fluttering sensations._

_She remained afloat in that dark sea yearning for a single melody, a single color until a small, nearly inaudible beeping sound began to serenade her. An urge to turn her head and follow the source awakened and as she draw herself closer to it, a gentle hue of light greeted her. The first light in what felt like decades. She stretched her hand out to grasp it and the sight of nothing but pitch black shifted to blurs of hues and of a familiar room._

_Her eye lids were heavy but she was awake enough to realize she was laid on what she recognised was her own bed. The next thing she was aware of was the jolting pain all over her bandaged body. There was a tube all the way down her throat and the beeping of a heart monitor was just by the left side of the mattress. She blinked and her sullen doe eyes side glanced the other way, meeting her Aunt's sleeping form. The woman was sitting on a chair while her arms cradled her head upon the sheets._

_Charlie was lethargic but somewhat curious enough to remain conscious. Why is her body in ruins? All she could remember was that she was running before she got swallowed by the thick fog of darkness. But running from what? What was she running away from? For a moment, she remained searching for answers and her mother's voice suddenly echoed in her head._

_That's when it all came into order. She was struggling, keeping her mother alive but miserably failed. She was crying for a father she left behind as the rubble consumed him. She recounted his smile as he mouthed ' I love you' before he had pushed her out the window of the burning building._

_Everything was in tatters for Charlie and the world was casted in shades of gray and not of rainbows as she cried in her sorrow. The beeps in the heart monitor rapidly increased, rousing the woman at her side_

_"Charlie? Charlie!!! Michael!! Rafael!!! Charlie's awake!!!"_

_Just then, the swift patters of feet briskly took entrance in the room. Rafael was at her side in a flash, taking her vitals. His soothing eyes gazed upon her glassy dark pupils, telling her_

_"You're going to be alright Charlie..."_

_And as he pecked her forehead, relief washed over her to have felt lulling sensations in the midst of her darkest hours. And she wasn't alone to face the pang of loss. All that's remained of her family appeared to be in terrible shape just as much as her decrepit mind and body. They had not a wink of sleep at the sight of those dark circles and the constant energy they emit, dimmed. She heared them talk in whispers_

_" Rafa... Is a full recovery in order?"_

_The question raised was met by the doctor's clipped lips. It wasn't a good sign._

_" recovery is possible but I can't promise Charlie will ever be the same..."_

_" What do you mean?"_

_" Bullets are left buried in her brain but the shells are dormant...for now... We are lucky they did not explode or we would have lost Charlie... but... but... I can't take them out..."_

✺

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. Local time, 5:30 am, temperature, 19°C. For your safety and comfort, please remain seated with your seat belt fastened until the Captain turns off the Fasten Seat Belt sign. "

Charlie stirred from her seat, blinking and shifting upright. When the announcement was made, she realized she must have fallen asleep during the rest of the ride. The blonde collected her earphones that tangled below her hips and got her cellphone out of her bag. She cursed under her breath to see a drained battery. The music must have continued playing when she was knocked out cold from fatigue. The blonde removed her black dress coat from inside the bag to search for her power bank. She plugged her phone right away the second she got ahold of the pink, polka dotted box. As the battery charged, she wore her coat awaiting her chance to unbuckle her seatbelt as one of the flight attendants passed

"Please check around your seats for any personal belongings you may have brought on board and please be cautious when opening the overhead bins, heavy articles may have shifted around during the flight."

The anticipated ding! followed a minute later and the travellers had vacated their seats. A few retrieved their baggage up the overboards. She took this opportunity to easily slip out the cabin with her tote bag as her sole belonging in the plane. After retrieving her red travel bag from the terminal, she changed her pants in the nearest restroom feeling the skin tight article constrict her muscles.

She got herself a cab in a bit and hastily opened her phone, telling the driver an address saved in her notepad. Although a city slicker since birth, she still had a knack of getting lost and she can't afford to wander around the Big Easy when she's got a final interview scheduled that morning.

She's not suppose to be in Louisiana for the day, not supposed to be taking a so called final screening to be administered by her employer. She's ought to be in a board meeting with the shareholders of the family company and signing a truck load of paperwork before relinquishing her seat as CEO and only then can she jump to the next job she applied for in the big hustling city, New Orleans.

But it's better to keep her distance from Vaggie as soon as she can and as much as possible. She wouldn't deny that her heart is in a thorny tight hold ,stabbing her each kilometer she travel far from her. However, the decision she made, although hasty was what she thought was for the best. She's not going to come in between Vaggie and her family. She's not going to allow her to be left all alone in life.

Charlotte Magne knew she had no future to tread. Even before Vaggie. She knew that reality all too well for 10 years but she was one day ensnared. An atrocious ploy of fate. It kept her from severing ties with the woman she had already fallen in deep.

She had an initial plan thereafter-- Keep Vaggie, hold her close every hour and every second before she finally succumb to the inevitable. To accept her love with no reservations until the final breath is drawn. To fight for Vaggie when push comes to shove. That's just the logic any normal person close to death's ticking clock would possibly take.

But at the sight of the engagement ring--the ring that was meant to be on her finger that night and the same ring she was supposed to wake up to this morning. She realized it was her selfishness that would have willingly accepted a promise of a lifetime and not love.

Something she can't make herself do.

So there she was, in a cab, her vacant eyes reflecting absolute eternal misery for what would have been. But a bigger part of her told no remorse for what she's signed up for. It's better off that way.

Hopefully.

She had a few glances of the buildings the cab passed, pushing thoughts about Vaggie to the farthest corner they could go in her mind . The blonde started memorising the routes and streets. She'll eventually forget them in a few minutes but getting briefly acquainted is a start. She'll be around town for a couple of months and it is necessary she at least have an idea where she'll go. As she created a mental map of her surroundings, the static sound in the car reverberated higher. The driver increased the radio's volume for what must be an important news

" _ **Breaking News!"**_

The instant she heard the voice of the anchor her head turned to the channeling device. It has a distinct quality that could certainly catch anyone's attention.

" _ **Panic raze the entire city as the mention of one monicker spread fear! Once again, the Red Stag strikes!"**_

Charlie sat at the edge of her seat, listening intently at the mention of the name. Her heart beating loudly it pounded on her ears.

" _ **The missing person a week prior was found afloat, lifeless, in the bayous. It was almost written off as a crocodile related incident but thorough autopsies revealed that the mangled body."**_

A grotesque image immediately surfaced in Charlie's head. The bile rose up her throat. She's seen enough of those to recreate a mental image of a floating, shredded and bloated body with missing parts here and there.

" _**Yes folks! You heard it right, the body was nothing but a disfigured lump of bone and flesh! And was actually desecrated not by our neighbouring reptiles but a beast of a different caliber! Good golly! Shortly after the retrieval of the minced corpse, the authorities found the mark of stag horns on the brutalised remains telling us a different story!"**_

The blonde grasped the strap of her tote bag, her hands shaking.

_**" It's the fourth murder in a row for the month, courtesy from our local serial killer who had gone hiatus for several years! Authorities now enforce strict curfew. No one is allowed out the streets by 8:00 in the evening effective immediately until this minister of madness, if you will, is finally captured and put in its place by the law after nearly 9 decades of wrecking havoc! With no leads whatsoever! Quite slippery yet ingenious, I'll give them that! "** _

Charlie was on the verge of furious tears. Her upper teeth bit down her lower lip. She was stuck in a world rich of building resentment that the stop of the vehicle had gone unnoticed and the man on the wheel had to turn around and go as far as give out a short yell just to anchor her back to her reality

"Missy?!"

Charlie gasped in surprise

" _**That is all for today folks! This is Alastor Carlisle signing off!"**_

"I-I'm sorry! Uh.."

The blonde turned her head from left to right and spotted a huge black gate facing the windshield. A tear was shed as she reached for her wallet in the bag. She did not count the money and gave it to the driver before slipping out of the car with both of her luggage .

Charlie was in front of the gate in a second, informing the guard of her status as applicant. She was given specified directions before being allowed inside the gates of a mansion. She could discern it is at least one-fourth in size compared to her family's ancestral house in France. Due to long walks around her own estate, she did not have difficulty strolling in boots and navigating her way around. She reached a plight of stairs leading to an elevated patio and upon hearing feminine laughter echoing upstairs, she had confirmed her employer's presence. The blonde climbed up where a maid stood by and asked her purpose of visit.

"I'm one of Madame Mimzy Barnes' applicants"

The maid nodded, walked towards the lone table in the spacious area and whispered to the corpulent woman having tea with another woman having quite an interesting taste for gowns and large brimmed hats. The tubby craned her head to Charlie's direction and so did her companion in red. Mimzy Barnes motioned for Charlie to come close with a hand's gesture. The blonde modestly approached and gave formalities

" Good morning Madame Mimzy Barnes, I am Charmagne Li, one of the applicants for the job opening you've opened up last month. And I'm here for the final screening. It is a pleasure to finally meet you"

Charlie was surprised she did not stutter. This is her first time ever undergoing an application given her family could get her any job she'd like in their company. Years of honing her improv skills must have paid off. She reached out to shake her employer's hand but Mimzy only bat an eye and took a smoke on her chruchwarden pipe. Her eyes gave Charlie a once over, clearly unimpressed

" You're the one that requested an early final screening last night. At an ungodly hour mind you. You dont look like someone fit for the job you've applied for nor appear to possess the skills you've written in your resume. Go home, I like jokes but this isn't even funny. "

It was an offensive remark but Charlie knew it was coming. She did not give her employer the pleasure of seeing a crack on her smiling front.

" Why don't you put me to the test then, Madame? To see is to believe"

If she picked up one thing from her Dad. It's to don't take shit from other people.

Mimzy gave out a sigh and gulped down the tea from her cup

"She has determination all over her face Mimzy... Why don't you give her a chance"

Said her companion. Mimzy had a conflicted countenance aimed at her friend

" You're gonna have someone incompetent as a guard, Rosie? "

" According to her papers, she knows wrestling, kick boxing, judo, karate, fencing and taekwondo. It won't make sense why someone would take a job that could potentially risk her safety and even go as far as flying all the way from China if she's only here for laughs. I say she's got it in her"

Mimzy eventually gave in, flicking her fingers. As she did, four men in black suits approached from one of the glass doors looking out the patio

" Take them down in 5 minutes and you get the job."

Charlie beamed in delight, eyeing Mimzy's movements as she pointed at the empty lot across their location.

" The battle takes place over there"

The maid was nice enough to hold on to Charlie's belongings as she followed the men in suits to the designated area. Mimzy and Rosie rouse from their seats, eyes fixated on the 5 figures from a distance. All four of Charlie's opponents removed their black suits and assumed an attack position.

At Mimzy's signal, Charlie was on guard.

Her eyes darting from every direction of a possible attack, studying their body language.

Every movement is accounted for and in a moment's notice a careless mistake have been casted out.

One of them eagerly rushed to her direction. A rookie's faulty judgment and here she thought Mimzy had high standards. As he charged, she unleashed a powerful move  
  


A swift blow from her knee to the cheek and the guard was thrown head first on the floor. The other attackers were alerted by then but made haste too quickly like the first. A punch readily soared towards her cheek. Her dark eyes flashed in awareness

And ducked her head down as her entire body turned a 180. She did not wait for the momentum to subside and lunged her arms straight to the puncher's collar, lifting him up

She turned her torso in a circular downward motion, sending him all the way down by her skinny arm's brute force. Mimzy's goon skidded on the tile, glasses airborne like the knocked out initial attacker's very own. After taking on the pair, she engaged the other two in hand to hand combat that lasted only a single blink from Mimzy's mascara filled eyes.  
  
  


When the coast was clear and the opponents yielded, Charlie lifted her gaze up the patio, marvelling at the numbstruck woman's agape mouth as she brushed off invisible dust from her frilly coat. She stretchd her arm and leg muscles with an air of confidence and went up to retrieve her baggage. Rosie was clapping for her small victory, telling her, her congratulations. Mimzy appeared to still be recovering from her shock. Her previous nonchalance wiped out, leaving not a single mark.

It was barely 5 minutes but Charlie had no doubt Vaggie could pulverise inexperienced foes in lesser than a minute.

Vaggie...

Oh boy, she caught herself drifting to her again and mentally berated herself. She's trying to construct a make-believe world where Vaggie is no longer around her vicinity. Where she's no longer hers and waiting to be hers for the taking. She belongs to someone else now. She had to live with that. Thinking about her would prove her efforts futile. Nevertheless, Charlie considered being patient. It's a real obstacle to forget a person that occupied the best years of your life after all.

" I will have your contract ready by tomorrow. For now, your luggage will be kept in one of the mansion's rooms where you'll be temporarily staying for the night. First thing in the morning, you'll be deployed to the cabin after the papers are signed"

The blonde's face contorted to confusion. A cabin? Surely a famous singer such as Mimzy wouldn't settle for a cramped space thats a pint in size compared to the mansion. So why is her mistress telling her of a deployment in a cabin when clearly Mimzy will be a resident in her fine home? Perhaps, she's fed up with concert tours and luxury so she's seeking for a new scenery? Mimzy don't seem like it though, she's completely in her element in the place.

" If I may ask, why am I going to go guard in a cabin?"

Mimzy quirked a brow

" You have a problem with that?"

Charlie shook her head

" No Madam, it's just... I do not peg you as someone whose comfortable within the wilderness.."

Rosie giggled

" You got that right Ms. Li"

Mimzy affirmed Rosie's statement

" I so despise the wilderness. So many insects that bite my skin and dirt coating my shoes."

She snarled in complaint, rubbing her arms and swatting flies as if the mention had them physically manifest to bug her out. She shuddered.

" No, I won't be there. And I'm not the one you're guarding. You'll be looking out for my fiancé. Speaking of which, we will pay him a visit this afternoon right around when his shift ends at the Radio Station."  
  
  
  


✺✥◦☬◦✥✺

Stacks of papers were neatly arranged to a perfect pile in a brief case and headphones were removed by long dexterous fingers. After Alastor was sure nothing was in sixes and sevens in the studio, the _sheik_ adjusted his _cheaters,_ stood from his seat and gave his neck some good cracking before stretching his long slender arms. He stepped out of his worskpace, with his coat and case, already calling it a day. The sun hadn't set and the streets were still clear as mid morning-- quite a beautiful afternoon if he say so himself. He _ankled_ in a short and relaxed pace to the busiest parts of town, listing spices and ingredients that would yield great service to his insatiable pallete for Jambalaya tonight.

Off he went to the market, clogged by faces of many many strangers. Some talking amongst themselves others briskly squeezing out the crowd with those distasteful glowing boxes they'd fondly call "cellphone"--a small bug that eventually grew to an abomination of a different league! a parasite to the brain they'd spend a considerable amount of time to slowly poison their living system. A self inflected doom!!! but he's certain hearing bellowing screams of terror outshine the smiles brought upon by the mechanical pests. A timeless entertainment! No matter how the era have changed indeed!

" _Dude, just heard this Red Stag serial killer! Pretty rad!"_

" _The killer's a myth, man, 90 years? Dang. That aint real bro. Them an old geezer now if so. Wont make sense how they got the strength to do those killings. It's probably some prank! Let's go to the bayous later I have something cool to show ya! "_

" _What about the curfew? "_

_" Curfews are for nerds man!"_

Alastor overheard a couple of _macs barbering_ in the supermarket and his smile grew a tad wider. After paying for his purchase, he strolled a couple of blocks to take the air from the horns of _hacks_ and buzz of _kissers_ and enter a thick enclosure of bushes leading to a stone path he took to reach his humble abode--a fully furnished cabin in the middle of a verdant forest.

It had straws for roof and two storeys.

Home sweet home.

He got his keys from his pockets, lodged it in the door lock and slipped in, closing the door shut behind him. He began his routine thereafter-- replacing his shoes for slippers, pile it neatly on a shoe rack by the door, make a bee line for the kitchen, settle the bag of goods on the counter, climb upstairs, change his clothing to his simple white button up shirt and black pants, hang the office rags and head down to make dinner but before anything else, the meat! He needed to defreeze it and so he head down to his basement.

Relying on the natural light that seeped from up above, he got a hold of a fridge handle and gets a chilled plastic container. He hears shuffling at one of the corners and feminine muffled sniffles. A grin was on his face before he head right up and closed the door shut.   
  


✺✥◦☬◦✥✺

Charlie felt the soles of her feet stiffen from the long walk she had to endure around a coarse stone path in the middle of a forest co-owned by her mistress and this fiancé she's suppose to guard. Mimzy wasn't holding up any better, she was sweating bullets and cursing the bugs that were afloat in the afternoon. If she wasn't wearing quite a revealing dress they wouldn't be a bother. Charlie's glad she wore her travelling clothes as they followed the trail. When it ended they entered a thicker more secluded portion of the area with Mimzy leading the way

" Why does he have to live so far away from the estate, oh god I'm starved!"

Mimzy yelled out, smacking a tree branch away with her hand and lifting up a foot to avoid a log in her disgust towards a beetle passing by. The blonde on the other hand thought it cute enough as form of distraction. She picked up the shiny thing admiring the stag beetle's little shell. It had it's small rumbling, flailing its tiny arms and she giggled.

"Hello...I'm sorry I had to pick you up. It's just... I've never touched one of you before. I only ever saw someone as big as you in books"

A shrill cry from Mimzy up ahead geared her up in full alert after taking such tender time studying the bug. She returned it in place

"Bye!!"

Her rapid feet followed the cry and gasped as she looked up a towering tree.  
  


✺✥◦☬◦✥✺

Alastor was in the middle of stirring dinner when he heard a distant shout interrupting the song he had hummed to himself. He'd like some peace and quiet but that would be for another time as it grew louder. He went out to investigate and almost threw himself in fits of laughter at the sight of a _skirt_ he know all too well.

There was Mimzy, suspended up a tree, in a net he had set as a booby trap for trespassers. She was swinging as she tried breaking free like a dumb dora resembling a boar caught for an entire village's meal but she wasn't alone.

As Alastor looked on further, all the way up the branch where the supporting rope was held in place, a foreign sight caught his eyes. A sight that sent his pupils dilating and senses in an abrupt jumble of a frenzy he couldn't quite place.

A doll, maybe in her mid twenties, was upon the branch in all fours. Her blonde tresses were ruffled by the gentle caress of the wind, creating a golden halo upon her head that rivaled the sun's blinding beams. It amplified the raw beauty of her angelic face--her red tinged cheeks and her mesmerising doe-like eyes.

"Hold on Madam!!!"

Oh! Her voice was that of a siren, lulling a heart to the depths of the blue sea.

" Don't panic! I want you to remain still!"

The belle exclaimed and for a moment, the world took a halt as her doe eyes met his, piercing his soul and corrupted chest. Everything was at a stand still until she released an audible gasp, one of her hands slipped, sending her free falling off the tree. She had a fretful scream and landed straight to his chest, barrelling them both on the ground.  
  
  


The impact had them see fluttering stars before she got up and apologised profusely.

Such a fragile little thing, such innocence! The type of woman anyone would instinctively protect. And a gush of the wind had him discover a new form of hunger. His nostrils took a whiff of a rare delicacy spread out before him. It numbed him to unimaginable heights.

Gone was his sharp senses that would have sensed Mimzy's tumbling descent, feeling his mouth water and mind intoxicated by the charming foreign belle. The same woman bolting away from him to support Mimzy's aching behind. He was far too gone to concern himself with anything , all the colors faded to a monochromatic landscape except for those golden tufts of hair.

" **Allywally?!"**

Allywally. The snap a cap of that horrendous nickname managed to pull him together enough to keep his smile from dropping in sheer bewilderment. He regarded Mimzy right away. 

" Ah, Mimzy, what brings you here?"

" What brings me here?! What brings me here is all you would ask?! I'm wounded!"

Only when she invaded his much needed space and hugged his waist, did he realised he was back on his feet. The tips of his lips could only twitch as she pouted

" Your wife need some loving kisses "

" Whose this? "

His gaze was set on Charlie, completely ignoring Mimzy's attempt at the befouled notion of intimacy. The woman had a frown on her face but decided to introduce him properly.

" Alastor, this is Charmagne Li. Charmagne Li, this is the apple of my eye, my sweet Allywally, Alastor Carlisle"

And when the belle had smiled, his breath was inclined to hitch up his throat.

" Hello sir! It's a pleasure to finally meet you!"

She stuck out her hand for a shake and he unconsciously responded with his hotsy-totsy personality

" The pleasure is mine my dear! Quite a pleasure!"

" And Ms. Charmagne Li here will be your bodyguard darling"

His eyes widened almost out of their sockets and his smile hiked up to his cheeks in utter disbelief.

Why if he know any better, he'd say Mimzy had completely lost her marbles

**◦◎✺◎◦**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried, I really did for Alastor. I hope this isnt too rushed for your liking dear readers as this is only the beginning of Charlastor territory.

**Author's Note:**

> Ladies and gentlemen! I give you my first contribution to the Hazbin Hotel fandom.  
> 
> 
> To be honest, I was holding back posting this knowing what little information I have about the characters but whatever. I came to have a good time and I hope you enjoy this piece of mine as well. 
> 
> I can't promise something worthy of admiration but I'll try to write as decently as I could. 
> 
> I'd love to hear what you think of this so feel free to leave comments.


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